MALAYSIAN CURRY PUFFS (with video!)

Did you know that I have a Malaysian connection? Appa and his siblings grew up in Malaysia till he was about 8 years old. My Grandfather was working there before they moved and settled in Kannur. Mamma,my paternal Grandmother who was an awesome cook learnt a lot of dishes from her cook there and Mamma would cook those dishes for us every now and then. Nasi Lemak was a staple in our home. She would try out so many Asian recipes from her cookbook and would call us over for dinner. I fondly remember how Mamma would make ' Vella chorum Kozhiyum' / Steamed Rice & Chicken for us (which everybody adored!) and I would refuse to eat it because there would a lot of vegetables in the chicken dish. I was never up for eating vegetables as a child.

I would then go and lay down on her bed,with the bedroom door wide open and look at everyone sitting by that big 12 seater dining table enjoy the meal Mamma lovingly made for us. I must mention that I was laying down on her bed and sulking! I can still picturize that dining room and those dim lantern lights hanging low over the table giving it such a cozy feel serving the food I never enjoyed and couldn't ever enjoy as a child.

Things have changed so much! I wholeheartedly enjoy vegetables now and that 'Vella Chorum Kozhiyum' is one of my most favourite things to eat!

Whenever we bought puffs from a bakery, Appan would mention about a 'Curry Puffs' that they relished in Malaysia. I remember Mamma calling the usual bakery puffs as Curry Puffs,maybe with her fond memories from her past. I also remember Appan telling me that it looked different and was flaky with a delicious filling inside. Those were the days when there was no internet. But that name stuck with me for all these years.

One day, I just decided to do a quick search online and came across so many beautiful photograhs of it! They were so easy to make but looked intricate. I used this recipe for the shell and came up with a filling on my own. I decided to give the puffs a try and there was no looking back. They are phenomenal! It is honestly one of the best things I've made in the recent times and something that I don't mind making over and over again!

MALAYSIAN CURRY PUFFS
Makes 18-20 pieces

Ingredients:
Pastry shell
Oil dough
300 grams flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil
3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon warm water

Butter dough
150 grams flour
70 grams butter,room temperature

Filling
2 cups potatoes,diced (I used 2 large potatoes)
1/2 cup onions,diced
3 cloves garlic,grated
1 1/2 tablespoons Curry Powder ( You can use any storebought chicken/meat masala)
2 tablespoons Oyster sauce,optional ( I use Pantai brand)
3 tablespoons oil
Salt as needed

Method:
Please refer the video for the pastry shell directions. Once the dough is made,cover and let it rest for 30 mins. This helps in relaxing the gluten in the flour .While rolling out, don't roll them too thin,the layers will become one and you will not get the flakiness.

Filling: Heat oil in a saute pan on medium-high heat and saute onions until translucent,about 2 minutes.Add the grated garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Reduce the heat and add the curry powder. The mix might look dry,it's okay. Add the potatoes and toss well to coat with the spices. Add about a cup of water and cook it covered until the potatoes are soft. Add more water if needed. Once it's cooked, add the oyster sauce and cook for another minute. Mash it gently while it's cooking. Check for salt. Some brands of sauces are very salty, so don't add too much salt in the beginning. Wait for the filling to cool completely before you fill the shells.

When I shared it on Instagram, Appan commented saying they looked much better than the ones he remember from Malaysia. Jobin LOVES it and so does the kids! Ian eats 4 at a time and Zara almost 2. I am not even going to tell you how many I ate! :-) They are wonderful and I hope you give them a try.

ROASTED PEAR ,ONION & CASTELLO BLUE CHEESE TART

Who doesn't love a good movie night,snuggling up on the couch and nibbling on some of your favourite snacks? Now that the weather is getting cooler,a cheese board or a cheesy appetizer makes an appearance in our house every now and then. Have any of you watched the new movie Burnt starring Bradley Cooper? I have been seeing the trailers and I think I will enjoy it! I love movies that are made with food as the focus!

When I first opened the box of Castello's creatively crafted Blue Cheese, I was not really sure whether I should make a salad or a tart. I recently had an amazing salad with Blue cheese in it at our friend's house. I wanted to recreate it so instead of reaching for the greens, I reached for the puff pastry that I made a few days ago. Roasting the pears and onions brings out the sweetness making the tart extra special.

I also made a balsamic reduction to drizzle over the top. The balsamic vinegar,when tasted as is can be quite overwhelming. When it's given some TLC and reduced, it lends itself to become a sticky sweet syrup. It gives such a brightness to the tart! You can replace apples for pears if that's the fruit that you like! I thoroughly enjoyed this tart. If you think you are not sure about the balsamic dressing,you can skip it! The Castello Danish Blue Cheese is so good that you wouldn't even miss the dressing!

ROASTED PEAR,ONION & BLUE CHEESE TART
My own recipe

Ingredients:
1 large ripe pear of your choice,sliced thin
1 medium yellow onion,sliced thin
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
Castello Danish Blue Cheese,crumbled
1 egg
Olive oil
Salt

Method: Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a large foil lined baking sheet, toss the pear and onion with some olive oil and salt.Roast them for 35 minutes or until the pears are soft and onions have turned a shade of golden.Let it cool completely.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan,reduce the balsamic vinegar for 5-7 minutes on medium high heat. It should reduce down to a thick syrup,approximately 2 tablespoons worth.
Roll out the thawed puff pastry to an 8X8 inch square or slightly smaller than that.Prick all over the space where you would spread the filling with a fork.Spread the cooled filling over it leaving some space around the egdes.Sprinkle the crumbled Castello Blue Cheese over it. Egg wash the exposed edges and bake the tart on a parchment lined baking sheet for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and golden.
Let it cool down a bit, Drizzle the balsamic reduction over it,cut them into pieces and enjoy!

Visit the Castello & Burnt campaign page for delicious inspiration, and to enter the Unlock Your Inner Chef sweepstakes for a chance to win great prizes, including:

-  A private cooking class for two
-  A year’s worth of Castello cheese

You can also enter the Unlock Your Inner Chef Sweepstakes, which is hosted on the Castello USA Facebook page now through November 20 for the same prizes mentioned above.