Curry Puffs

The fillings.

Ready-made pie crust.

Soon to be in the oven!

Ta raaaa! Et voila....

Ingredients:
Filling

200g chicken, diced
2 potatoes, diced
2–3 tbsp oil
2 onions, diced
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
3 tbsp meat curry powder
1 sprig curry leaves
2cm piece cinnamon stick
Salt and sugar to taste
1 tbsp oyster sauce
A dash of pepper



Pastry

350g plain flour, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
150g pastry margarine
150ml cold water
1 tbsp lemon juice


Method

For the filling: Heat oil in a wok and fry garlic until fragrant. Add onion, cinnamon stick, curry leaves, meat curry powder and potatoes. Add just enough water to cover the potatoes. Cook over a medium low heat until potatoes are done.

Add chicken, salt, sugar, pepper and oyster sauce. Stir-fry until meat is cooked and dry.

Dish out and leave in a plastic colander to drain off excess oil.

For the pastry: Put sifted flour into a mixing bowl and stir in salt. Rub margarine into the flour until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Make a well in the centre, add water and lemon juice. Mix with both hands to form a soft dough. If dough is a bit dry, add a little more water. Do not knead. Set dough aside to rest for 10–15 minutes.

Divide pastry dough into two portions. Roll out each portion to about 1/4 cm thickness. Cut out into 9–10 cm rounds with a cutter.

Place a tablespoonful of filling in the centre of each round. Fold pastry into half to enclose the filling. Seal by pinching and fluting the edges.

Heat enough oil in a wok and, when hot, deep-fry the curry puffs until golden brown. Remove and drain on absorbent paper. (Kuali)

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NB: For some of us who felt that time is really, really, precious (!), a ready-made pie crust from the nearby supermarts is really handy. For this, I opt for bake-in method instead of deep-fry. Less oily and more crispy.

For oven use: Preheat oven for 15 mins - temperature 220°C. Then brush crust with glaze. A mixture of 2 egg yorks and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Bake for 20 mins or until all the puffs turns brownish. Leave to cool and serve.

Cucumber Pickle (Acar Timun)

Ingredients :

2 cucumbers
1 carrot
1 red chili
1 large onion
8 tablespoons salt
4 shallots
2 cm ginger
3 cloves garlic
8 dried chilies (can put less according to your taste...)
1/2 cup dried prawns
1/2 teaspoon oil (I put in 1 tablespoon of oil, much better.)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 cup candlenuts
1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder
3/4 cup vinegar
31/2 tablespoons sugar


Method :
1. Cut cucumbers and carrot into 2.5 cm strips.

2. Cut the red chili into 5 cm strips and the large onion into 5 cm wedges.

3. Sprinkle salt over the cut vegetables and let them stand for at least 2 hours.

4. When the vegetables are limp, wash away the salt and spread them on a clean tea towel in a cool place to dry.

5. Grind together the chilies, shallots, garlic and ginger.

6. Pound the dried prawns.

7. Heat the oil and fry mustard seed for 1/2 minute before adding in the ground ingredients and turmeric powder.

8. Fry for another 5 minutes.

9. When the oil separates, add in the dried prawns and continue cooking for another 3 minutes before adding in the vinegar and sugar.

10. Cook slowly until the mixture is fairly thick.

11. Add in more salt and sugar if necessary.

12. Stir in the prepared vegetables and toss quickly to mix well.

13. When the vegetables are well mixed with the spices, remove the pan from the heat.

14. Cool slightly before storing in clean, dry jars.


Hello friends,

I dedicate this blog to all of you who share my interest in cooking and food in general. For those who felt that they like food but poor in kitchen works, well just wish that I can give you some lending hands. I try my best!

This first entry is a delicacy that I often seen when I was still a small girl. My mom used to do this for Christmas and Gawai celebrations. I came to know about the recipe on a website called : http://www.101cookingrecipes.com/vegetable-cooking-recipes/cucumber-pickle.php Try it. It's mouth watering! :)