Flakey, crispy puffs filled with savory curried potatoes, chicken and onions. This delicious and easy Malaysian curry puff recipe is made from scratch with simple ingredients. A great snack or appetizer for all the curry-lovers!
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Malaysian Curry Puff (or "Karipap" in Malay) is an Asian-style crispy puff pastry stuffed with curry potatoes, chicken (or beef) and onion and deep-fried in hot oil!
These golden brown puffs are sold in Malaysia at food stands and at Malaysian restaurants and are known for their flavorful filling and flaky exterior.
They're so popular in South-East Asia that Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei have their own version as well. You can enjoy them on their own or with sambal oelek as a spicy dipping sauce!
When I visited Malaysia, I tried these curry puffs and they were so delicious that my eyes rolled to the back of my head!
Since that moment, I've been wanting to make my own version from scratch but they do they some time. But it's worth every second because you can make a large batch for a fraction of the cost.
If you prefer not to make the dough from scratch, you may substitute with store-bought puff pastry sheets but it won't taste as amazing!
You can freeze any leftover cooked or uncooked curry puffs and reheat or fry them from frozen in minutes! I share instructions on how to do that in the Storage section below.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
Filling
- Skinless-Boneless Chicken Thighs: I recommend chicken thighs because they are juicier than chicken breast. Or substitute with lean ground chicken. Not a fan of chicken? Substitute with lean ground beef, ground pork or extra-firm tofu.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: or substitute with yellow russet potatoes.
- Onion
- Curry Powder: use any curry powder you enjoy. I'm using Indian Madras curry powder which is a tad spicier but Thai, Japanese or Jamaican yellow curry powder will work as a substitute.
- Turmeric Powder: to add a yellow color to the filling. If you don't have this ingredient, feel free to omit and add more curry powder to taste.
- Salt
- Bay Leaves: to lighten the heavy taste of the meat. If you don't have this ingredient, omit it.
Dough Wrapper
(or substitute the homemade dough with store bought puff pastry sheets)
- All-purpose flour: a general use white wheat flour. I don't recommend substituting with gluten-free baking flour as this recipe has not been tested with that.
- Salt
- Water: room temperature.
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
Expert Tips
- Finely chop the filling ingredients, especially the chicken thighs so it's easier to fill the wrappers.
- Make sure the oil is hot enough before pouring into the flour mixture. You can do this by inserting a wooden utensil into the oil and looking for bubbles.
- Use a whisk and spatula to combine the flour mixture to prevent a sticky mess!
- Don't over stuff the wrappers with filling or it'll be hard to seal them.
- Fry the curry puffs in small batches to maintain oil temperature for crispy puffs.
- Transfer the fried curry puffs onto a wire rack or a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain off excess oil which causes the puffs to become soggy.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Malaysian curry puffs:
- Heat 1 teaspoon or 5 ml of vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Fry the finely diced chicken until 80% cooked. Add finely diced onions and potatoes, curry powder, salt, turmeric, and bay leaves and mix everything together. Cover and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Remove the bay leaves. Then remove and transfer filling to a large bowl or plate to cool down.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt. Make a well in the middle of the flour. In a small saucepan, heat ½ cup or 125 ml vegetable oil on medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Carefully pour the hot oil into the well and let it bubble for 1 minute. Then whisk the flour and oil together. Add water and mix together with a silicone spatula. Knead the dough into a ball with clean hands.
- On an evenly floured surface, roll the dough into 1-inch thick log. Then cut the log into 26 x 1-inch wide pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
- Roll each ball of dough into a flat 4-inch wide circular wrapper using a rolling pin. Cover the dough wrappers with a clean tea towel to keep them moist.
- Fill the center of the wrapper with 1 tablespoon of the filling. Fold the wrapper over the filling. Pinch the edges until fully sealed. Then roll and pleat the edges using your thumb and index finger. Repeat this process until you have 26 curry puffs in total.
- Heat 2-inches of vegetable oil in large heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat, around 350 F or insert a wooden utensil into the oil and look for bubbles. Lower 6 curry puffs into the hot oil with a slotted spoon. Fry for 3-4 minutes in total until golden brown, flipping half way. Remove and transfer to a wire rack or paper-towel lined baking sheet to drain off oil. Let them cool down a bit before enjoying!
To Air Fry
- Preheat the air fryer at 350 F for 4 minutes.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray or neutral oil.
- Then place the curry puffs, pleated side up, into the air fryer basket in a single layer without overlap, ensuring there's enough space between the pieces. You will need to air fry in small batches.
- Lightly spray cooking spray or neutral oil over the curry puffs. Air fry for 10-14 minutes until golden brown. No need to flip over.
To Bake
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Place the curry puffs on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or evenly greased with oil.
- Place the curry puffs in a single layer onto the baking sheet, pleated side up, with enough space between each piece.
- Lightly spray oil over the curry puffs or lightly brush egg wash over each piece.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, no need to flip.
Storage & Reheating
Cooked curry puffs will last up to 5 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave each puff for 1-2 minutes or bake in the oven or air fry at 350 F for 5-8 minutes until hot.
Cooked curry puffs can be frozen for up to 3 months in the freezer. To freeze: store them in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag and remove any excess air before sealing. Label and date the bag. To reheat, bake from frozen in the oven at 350 F for 17-20 minutes or air fry at 350 F for 7-10 minutes until an internal temperature of 165 F.
Uncooked curry puffs can be refrigerated for up to 5 days in the fridge. Store the curry puffs in a single layer without overlap into an airtight container in the fridge. To cook, fry according to recipe instructions below.
Uncooked curry puffs can be frozen for up to 6 months in the freezer or until you see freezer burn. To freeze: place a freezer-safe bag on a baking sheet and place the curry puffs in a single layer without overlap. Remove excess air in the bag and seal. Label and date the bag and freeze with the baking sheet. Once the puffs are frozen solid, remove the baking sheet. To cook, fry from frozen according to the recipe instructions.
Pairing Suggestions
Malaysian curry puffs serve well with:
- noodle dishes like KL Hokkien Mee, Char Kway Teow, Mee Goreng and Penang Char Kway Teow
- rice dishes like Nasi Goreng
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
- protein dishes like Malaysian curry chicken, curry chicken wings, curry fried fish, and curry tofu
FAQ
Malaysian curry puffs can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave each puff for 1-2 minutes or bake more in the oven or air fry at 350 F for 5-8 minutes until hot.
The homemade dough can be substituted with 2 lbs or 908 grams of puff pastry sheets.
📖 Recipe
Easy & Simple Malaysian Curry Puff (Karipap)
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups vegetable oil or any neutral oil for cooking
Filling
- 5.29 oz skinless boneless chicken thighs finely chopped
- 1 lb yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes, peeled & finely diced
- ½ small onion finely diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
Dough (or sub with 2 lbs / 908 g store bought puff pastry sheets)
- 3.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cup water room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Instructions
- To make the filling: Heat 1 teaspoon or 5 ml of vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Fry the finely diced chicken until 80% cooked. Add finely diced onions and potatoes, curry powder, salt, turmeric, and bay leaves and mix everything together. Cover and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Remove the bay leaves. Then remove and transfer filling to a large bowl or plate to cool down.
- To make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt. Make a well in the middle of the flour. In a small saucepan, heat ½ cup or 125 ml vegetable oil on medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Carefully pour the hot oil into the well and let it bubble for 1 minute. Then whisk the flour and oil together. Add water and mix together with a silicone spatula. Knead the dough into a ball with clean hands.
- On an evenly floured surface, roll the dough into 1-inch thick log. Then cut the log into 26 x 1-inch wide pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Roll each ball of dough into a flat 4-inch wide circular wrapper using a rolling pin. Cover the dough wrappers with a clean tea towel to keep them moist.
- Fill the center of the wrapper with 1 tablespoon of the filling. Fold the wrapper over the filling. Pinch the edges until fully sealed. Then roll and pleat the edges using your thumb and index finger. Repeat this process until you have 26 curry puffs in total.
- Heat 2-inches of vegetable oil in large heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat, around 350 F or insert a wooden utensil into the oil and look for bubbles. Lower 6 curry puffs into the hot oil with a slotted spoon. Fry for 3-4 minutes in total until golden brown, flipping half way.
- Remove and transfer to a wire rack or paper-towel lined baking sheet to drain off oil. Let them cool down a bit before enjoying!
Notes
To Air Fry
- Preheat the air fryer at 350 F for 4 minutes.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray or neutral oil.
- Then place the curry puffs, pleated side up, into the air fryer basket in a single layer without overlap, ensuring there's enough space between the pieces. You will need to air fry in small batches.
- Lightly spray cooking spray or neutral oil over the curry puffs. Air fry for 10-14 minutes until golden brown. No need to flip over.
To Bake
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Place the curry puffs on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or evenly greased with oil.
- Place the curry puffs in a single layer onto the baking sheet, pleated side up, with enough space between each piece.
- Lightly spray oil over the curry puffs or lightly brush egg wash over each piece.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, no need to flip.
Jo Patman
Just as nice as when I was in Malaysia.
Christie Lai
Thrilled to read this! Thanks so much for making my recipe and for leaving a positive review, Jo!
Althea
Can i make the wrapper 1 day ahead of time.
Christie Lai
Yes! I recommend storing the wrapper dough in plastic wrap inside an airtight container in the fridge. Before rolling it out, let it come to room temperature first.
Jess
Excellent recipe and loved the inclusion of a video. I boiled the potatoes before shallow frying for the filling because I like the “mashed-up” look. I ended up using leftover store-bought puff pastry but will be attempting the spiral pastry today.
Do you think I can sub the lard/shortening in oil dough for another type of fat? I have oils, butter, and duck fat on hand.
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Jess! So happy it turned out so well with that technique. In answer to your question, yes you can sub the lard/shortening with another type of fat.
Loges Yeow
what does the hot oil do to the dough?
christieathome
It moistens the dough and also makes it crispier.
Christina
Hi there! I'm really hoping to make these puffs soon; my Grandmother was a missionary in a Malay village in the 60s, and immersed herself in a lot of the wonderful cultural recipes, among other things. ☺️ Unfortunately she passed away in 2000, and I never got to learn a lot of her recipes, being only 13 at the time. She had a fabulous curry puff recipe, and this sounds a lot like hers!
If I bake the puffs rather than fry them, do they lose much of their original great texture and flavor, or are they still quite good? Thanks in advance! ❤️
Christie Lai
I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. Grandmothers have the best recipes don't they! I highly recommend frying them for best taste as cooking them in hot oil really makes a difference. Hope this helps!
Jane
Thank you for this super yummy curry puffs recipe. We enjoyed every piece of them 😋😋
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Jane! I am so happy you enjoyed every single piece 🙂 Have a lovely day!