[Malaysian Recipes] Karipap (Curry Puff)

WHAT IS KARIPAP?

Karipap is crispy and golden on the outside with a spicy savory potato filling. This scrumptious Malaysian snack is sort of a cross between a samosa and an empanada and is usually found sold freshly fried at roadside stalls across Malaysia.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF KARIPAP?

Legend has it that curry puff or what is known locally as karipap was invented by the Malays, an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula and parts of Sumatra and Borneo.

Throughout the Southeast Asian region especially in Singapore and Thailand, curry puff became popular and widely available outside of Malaysia because of its simplicity and universal appeal.

There are also rumors that this tasty little morsel have their origins in Cornish pasty, this variety is particularly associated with Cornwall in the UK. The pasties are usually made with vegetables and meat, folded around a dough that closes and seals into a curl. The appearance is reminiscent of the traditional pasties typical of Spanish and Portuguese gastronomy.

SPIRALED VS TRADITIONAL

In Malaysia, another version called epok-epok can be found. They differ from karipap because the latter have layers that simulate a puff pastry dough.

Spiral curry puffs, also known as karipap pusing (螺旋咖喱角), with pusing meaning “in a spiralized pattern” in the Malay language. They are a tasty and favorite Asian snack especially in Malaysia and Singapore.

THE SPIRALED EFFECT

The skill in this popular teatime snack lies in the making of the crust. Although a little tedious with the multiple steps, the spiral crusts created, add such a delectable crunch and flakiness that stay crispy even when these curry puffs have cooled down.

To achieve the spiral effect, there are two types of doughs. The first dough is an oil dough and the second a water dough. First wrap the oil dough in the water dough. Next, roll the combined dough into a rectangle and then roll it up like a Swiss roll. Binding the two pastry doughs makes a nice spiral-like pattern, hence the name spiral curry puffs.

Curry puffs are almost like empanadas, but Southeast Asian style. They are normally filled with curried potatoes, sweet potatoes and onions but they can also be filled with chicken, sardines, other veggies like carrots, peas, and hard-boiled eggs. They are then deep-fried or baked. Most of the time they are deep-fried.

Karipap is considered a popular breakfast item or an afternoon snack which can be found at numerous stores, bars, and markets. Crispy and flaky on the outside, hot and soft on the inside, karipap is a snack that remains a staple of Southeast Asian cuisine.

VARIATIONS OF KARIPAP

There are a few different versions of the curry puff depending on the ethic group or region.

Karipap is very similar to the Chinese crispy fry dumpling, a popular snack in Fujian, filled with Chinese chives or crushed peanut and eaten during Chinese New Year. The Chinese Malaysian applied the Chinese pastry method of the crispy dumpling replaced with the curry and created the spiral with multi-layer version.

The Indonesian version is known at pastel although it does not necessarily contain any curry powder. Pastel is derived from the Portuguese influence in Indonesia.

It refers to a pie of crust made from thin pastry, filled with meat (usually chicken) mixed with vegetables (chopped carrot and beans), rice vermicelli, and sometimes egg, then deep fried in vegetable oil. It is consumed as a snack and is commonly sold in Indonesian traditional markets.

In North Sulawesi, a similar version replaces the thin flour pie crust with bread, and is filled with spicy cakalang (skipjack tuna). This variation of the snack is called panadaand is very popular during Ramadan.

The curry puffs from Indian bakeries differ from epok-epok in the use of layered pastry that creates a flaky crust. There are also vegetarian curry puffs that are in fact not spicy and made from shredded radish, tofu, potatoes and grated carrots. They are often eaten with sweet chili sauce.

In Thailand, a curry puff is known as a karipap (กะหรี่ปั๊บ) and normally contains chicken, potato, onion, and curry powder. It is assumed to have been adapted from the Portuguese cuisine pastel. It arrived in Thailand during the Ayutthaya period in the reign of King Narai (1633–1688) by Portuguese-Japanese-Bengali lady Maria Guyomar de Pinha.

The Malaysian karipap, or curry puff, is a simple and tasty snack that is loved by everyone of all ages across Malaysia and Southeast Asia.

Curry Puffs (Karipap)

Curry puffs or karipap are traditional Malaysian small fried turnovers made from curried potatoes, called epok-epok in Singapore.

Prep Time: 50 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Rest: 19 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai, Vegetarian


Servings:  20  karipap

Calories: 135kcal

Author: Nita Ragoonanan

Ingredients

For the stuffing

• ½ lb smll potatoes
• 1 small sweet potato (about ½ lb / 200 g)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion , diced
• 3 tablespoons curry powder
• ¼ cup water
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

For the dough

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup margarine (cold), cut into very small cubes
• ½ cup cold water (or more if needed)

For frying

• Vegetable oil

Equipment: Stand mixer


Instructions

Stuffing

1. In a large saucepan, boil the unpeeled potatoes and sweet potato in plenty of water.
2. After 15 minutes, remove the potatoes with a skimmer.
3. Leave the sweet potato in the pot and cook for another 8 minutes.
4. Drain the potatoes and sweet potato well and let cool completely.
5. Once cooled, peel them and cut them into small cubes.
6. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat and sweat the onion for 1 minute, stirring.
7. Add the curry powder and continue to stir for 2 minutes over low to medium heat.
8. Add the diced potatoes and sweet potato.
9. Stir well to soak up the curry flavor.
10. Pour in the water and add salt.
11. Add the chopped cilantro and continue to stir so that everything is well combined.
12. Transfer the stuffing to a bowl, cover and let cool completely.

Dough

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the dough hook, combine the flour, salt and margarine.
2. Slowly add the cold water.
3. Knead to form a soft, non-sticky dough. If necessary, add a little water.
4. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and continue kneading the dough for about 4 minutes until a very smooth consistency is achieved.
5. Roll out the dough, cover it and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
6. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about ⅛ inch (3 mm).
7. Using a cookie cutter, cut circles of dough about 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) in diameter.
8. Roll out the dough scraps and roll them out again to a thickness of about ⅛ inch (3 mm).
9. Roll out the dough and cut as many circles as possible until all the dough is used up.

Assembly

1. Place a circle of dough on the palm of one hand. If it has shrunk a bit, gently flatten it with the fingers.
2. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the circle of dough..
3. Fold the dough into a semi-circle.
4. Seal by pressing and creasing the edges together.
5. Repeat the operation until all the circles of dough are used up.

Frying

1. In a high-sided pan, with a non-stick coating, heat a large quantity of oil to 340 F (170°C).
2. Fry the karipap over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden, turning only once.
3. Remove from the oil and let the karipap drip into a wire strainer.
4. Enjoy hot or warm.

Notes
This recipe is the vegetarian version. You can add chicken, beef, shrimp or other protein to the recipe.

This recipe and image sources are referred in website: 196flavors.com. Thanks so much!