When Chinese bakeries and dim sum houses whip up curry puffs, they make the filling just as sweet as it is savory. Here, we’re using ground chicken, stirred into a smooth curry sauce punctuated by plenty of caramelized onions. These chicken curry puffs have a pleasant balance of salt, spice, and sugar, making them perfect for an appetizer, afternoon snack, or even breakfast with a cup of tea. These puffs taste best made with homemade puff pastry, but you can also use store-bought.
This recipe was excerpted from 'The Woks of Life' by Bill Leung, Kaitlin Leung, Judy Leung, and Sarah Leung. Buy the full book on Amazon. Get more of our favorite Chinese chicken recipes →
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What you’ll need
Madras Curry Powder
$12 At Amazon
Ground Cumin
$5 At Amazon
Turmeric
$9 At Spicewalla
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 18 puffs
Ingredients
For the filling
For assembly, baking, and serving
Preparation
Make the filling
Step 1
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it turns color, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add ¾ cup of the water, the curry powder, sugar, salt, black pepper, cumin, and turmeric. Stir and cook for 2 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Step 2
In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and the remaining 3 tablespoons water, then add to the chicken mixture, stir, and simmer until thickened. You’ll know it’s ready when there’s no pooling liquid. Transfer the chicken mixture to a medium bowl and let cool. You will have about 1¾ cups of filling.
Assemble the puffs
Step 3
If your puff pastry is frozen, let it defrost at room temperature for 35 to 40 minutes. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 4
If using rough puff pastry, unfold it carefully to ensure there are no rips or tears. Cut it into 2 equal rectangles and put one half back in the refrigerator while you make the first batch of curry puffs. If using store-bought pastry, you’ll already have 2 equal sheets. Take one of them out and leave the other in the fridge. With a rolling pin, lightly roll the pastry into a 12-inch square. Then cut the square into nine 3-inch squares.
Step 5
Spoon about 1½ tablespoons of filling into the center of each square. Brush 2 adjoining edges with the beaten whole egg. Fold the square diagonally to form a triangle, pressing the edges together, then crimp the edges with a fork. Transfer the triangle to the prepared baking sheet and continue until you’ve assembled 9 puffs. Refrigerate this first batch to chill for up to 1 hour while you repeat these steps with the remaining sheet of puff pastry. Transfer the second batch of puffs to the refrigerator to chill for at least 15 minutes.
Step 6
Position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, then preheat to 425°F. Brush the puffs with the beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Transfer the puffs to the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 400°F. Bake for 14-16 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the puffs are golden brown. Let them cool for 5 minutes before enjoying.
Recipe notes
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