Baked Chicken Curry Puffs

These are literally steaming next to me as I write - they've just come out of the oven, crisp and delicious and thought I'd beter get the recipe down before I forget it. I've created this recipe myself, using a range of authentic Malaysian recipes as my inspiration. The spice blend itself is used in Malaysian meat curries, and makes more than the recipe needs. I've used reduced fat puff pastry (without compromising taste) and spray oil, so these are a healthier version than some of their counterparts -especially as they're baked and not fried. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 27 curry puffs

Ingredients

• 5  whole cloves
• 5  whole black peppercorns
• 2  whole cardamom pods
• 1⁄2 cinnamon stick (3 cm long)
• 2  small  whole  dried red chilies
• 2  tablespoons coriander powder
• 1  tablespoon cumin seed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 200  g  minced chicken
• 2  medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1  brown onion, diced
• 1  clove garlic, finely sliced
•  spray  oil
• 3  sheets puff pastry
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees C (fan-forced) or 200 C conventional.
2. Add the potatoes to a pot of boiling water and cook until just soft. Drain and set aside.
3. In the meantime, toast the first 3 spices (cloves, peppercorns, cardamon) in a medium size saucepan over a medium heat, until just beginning to smoke and becoming aromatic. Remove from heat and set aside in bowl,
4. Add the next 2 spices (cinammon and chilies), and repeat toasting instructions. Remove and add to same bowl as the other toasted spices.
5. Add the last 4 spices (coriander, cumin, fennel and tumeric powder) and repeat toasting. Remove and add to same bowl as the other toasted spices.
6. When the spices have cooled, grind with either a mortar and pestle, or in coffee grinder. (Note: I like my spice mix fine, so after grinding in mortar and pestle, I sieve the mixture using a fine net sieve).
7. Set the spice mixture aside (when cooled, store in a jar).
8. Add a bit of spray oil to the saucepan pan, add the chicken and cook until browned all over and cooked through. Remove and add to a medoim-sized bowl.
9. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the spice mix to the chicken.
10. If needed, add a bit more oil to the pan, and cook the onion until browned, about 4-5 minutes.
11. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
12. Return the chicken and spice mix, and the drained potatoes to the saucepan.
13. Cook for a further minutes until all ingredients have mixed in together.
14. Add in the sugar and salt, and stir.
15. Remove from pan, and add back into the medium bowl. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes.
16. Thaw out the puff pastry sheets, and cut each sheet into 9 squares.
17. When the mixture has cooled a little, add a heaped teaspoon into the centre of one the pastry square.
18. Fold square in half, and pinch edges together to form a triangle shape.
19. Place triangles on an oven tray, and spray with oil.
20. Cook for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.