Malaysian Curry Puffs. Flakey, crispy puffs filled with savory curried potatoes, chicken and onion. A heavenly and popular pastry for good reason! These curry puffs are commonly found in South East Asia.
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What is Malaysian Curry Puff?
Malaysian Curry Puff (aka Karipap) is a crispy deep fried puff pastry that is stuffed with curry potatoes, chicken and onion. These delicious treats are sold in Malaysia at food stands and Malaysian restaurants. They've become so popular in South-East Asia that Singapore, Thailand and Brunei have their own version as well. These are best enjoyed as an appetizer or snack.
When I visited Malaysia, I remember having one of these and it was so incredibly 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 as you know curry puffs do take time and energy. But it is so worth every second of your time! You can even freeze any cooked leftovers (if there are any!) and re-heat them in the oven or toaster oven anytime you want. It's a fun weekend cooking activity.
Ingredients
- Neutral oil: like vegetable oil, avocado oil or any scentless oil with a high smoke point.
Filling:
- Chicken thighs: I highly recommend thigh meat as it's juicier and more flavorful than chicken breast meat
- Potatoes: yellow russet or yukon gold are good potatoes for this recipe
- Small Onion
- Curry powder
- Turmeric powder
- Salt
- Bay leaves
Wrapper:
- All purpose flour: this recipe has not been tested with gluten free flour
- Salt
- Water
- Hot neutral oil
How to Make Malaysian Curry Puff
Cook Filling
Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Fry your chicken until 80% cooked. Add onions and potatoes, followed by curry powder, salt, turmeric (optional) and bay leaves. Cover and let this cook until potatoes are fork tender. Remove filling from pan and let it cool completely.
Create Dough
In a large mixing bowl, add all purpose flour and salt. Whisk together. Make a well in the middle.
In a small saucepan, heat ⅓ cup + 3 tablespoon vegetable oil on high heat. Place a chopstick or a wooden stick to check if the oil bubbles. Once it bubbles, carefully pour the hot oil into the flour well. Allow this to bubble for 1 minute. Then mix the flour and oil together. Add water and mix everything together with your hands and knead it together. You should form a very oiled ball of dough.
Divide Dough & Roll into Balls
On a floured surface, roll your dough into a long log. Slice the tube of dough into 26 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
Roll Out Dough Balls into Wrappers
Then with a rolling pin, roll it flat into a 4 inch wide circular wrapper.
Fill the Wrapper
Fill the wrapper with 1 tablespoon of the curried potato chicken filling.
Fold & Seal Wrapper
Fold the wrapper over the filling. Pinch the edges together until completely sealed.
Pleat the Wrapper Edges
Then pleat the edges using your thumb. You may do big or small pleats. The latter is more time consuming but creates for better looking curry puffs.
Fry Curry Puffs in Batches
In a large pan, fill with 2-inches of vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat. Check for oil for bubbles using a chopstick or wooden spoon. When bubbles form, it's time to fry.
Carefully lower 5-6 curry puffs into the hot oil using a slotted spoon.
Fry Until Golden
Carefully lower 5-6 curry puffs into the hot oil using a slotted spoon. Fry on each side for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from hot oil and transfer to a wire rack or a paper towel lined baking sheet to cool.
Serve & Enjoy!
Serve and enjoy your Malaysian potato curry puff!
Storage & Reheating
Leftover Malaysian Curry Puffs can be stored in an airtight container up to 4-5 days in the fridge. To reheat, you can reheat in the oven or air fryer at 350 F for 4-5 minutes until hot.
If you freeze them, they will last about 2-3 weeks in a sealed bag or container.
Expert Tips
- Finely chop the filling ingredients. This makes it easier to fill the wrappers.
- Fry the curry puffs in small batches. To makes them crispy.
- Immediately transfer cooked curry puffs onto a paper towel lined baking sheet or onto a wire rack for excess oil to drip off so they remain crispy.
FAQ
Can I freeze cooked Malaysian curry puffs?
Yes, freeze them in a ZipLock bag and these can be reheated as per the above Reheating instructions.
Can I freeze uncooked curry puffs?
Yes. To cook these, follow the same instructions in the recipe card and fry until golden and hot through out.
Can I substitute with another protein?
Yes, pork, beef or tofu may work.
Other Malaysian recipes you may like!
- Malaysian Char Kway Teow
- Kl Hokkein Mee
- Malaysian Chicken Curry
- Mee Goreng
- Malaysian Curry Tofu
- Apam Balik
📖 Recipe
Easy & Crispy Malaysian Curry Puff (Karipap)
Ingredients
- 500-750 ml vegetable oil for frying
Filling
- 150 grams boneless skinless chicken thighs finely chopped
- 430 grams potatoes peeled & small diced
- ½ small onion finely diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wrapper
- 500 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cup water room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup + 3 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Fry your chicken until 80% cooked. Add onions and potatoes, followed by curry powder, salt, turmeric (optional) and bay leaves. Cover and let this cook until potatoes are fork tender. Remove filling from pan and let it cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all purpose flour and salt. Whisk together. Make a well in the middle.
- In a small saucepan, heat ⅓ cup + 3 tablespoon vegetable oil on high heat. Place a chopstick or a wooden stick to check if the oil bubbles. Once it bubbles, carefully pour the hot oil into the flour well. Allow this to bubble for 1 minute. Then mix the flour and oil together. Add water and mix everything together with your hands and knead it together. You should form a very oiled ball of dough.
- On a floured surface, roll your dough into a long log. Slice the tube of dough into 26 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
- Then with a rolling pin, roll it flat into a 4 inch wide circular wrapper.
- Fill the wrapper with 1 tablespoon of the curried potato chicken filling.
- Fold the wrapper over the filling. Pinch the edges together until completely sealed. Then pleat the edges using your thumb. You may do big or small pleats. The latter is more time consuming but creates for better looking curry puffs.
- In a large pan, fill with 2-inches of vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat. Check for oil for bubbles using a chopstick or wooden spoon. When bubbles form, it's time to fry.
- Carefully lower 5-6 curry puffs into the hot oil using a slotted spoon. Fry on each side for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from hot oil and transfer to a wire rack or a paper towel lined baking sheet to cool. Serve & enjoy!
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Rosemary
I love the pictures you included in the recipe steps on how to fold these! They are like little curry delights all wrapped up and ready to go hehe
Michelle | Sift & Simmer
Mmm, now I'm missing my Mom's curry puffs!! These look great, Christie!
Never Ending Journeys
These curry puffs look so tempting and delicious! Such a tasty idea, I love it!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
These curry puffs look so delicious! I was a little intimidated at the thought of making the curry puff dough, but your instructions made the process so simple.
Jacqueline
Love the dough... so soft.... can I bake these? What else can I use this dough for? Pies?
christieathome
So glad you enjoyed this! Thank you for making my recipe! I haven't tried baking these but if you do, I would spray oil over top, bake at 350 degrees F to start and add more time as needed. I would also flip it half way through so both sides are cooked and golden. You can definitely use this same dough for pies or any baked savoury goods.
Yoke
I miss my mum Curry puff.
I will try to make one this afternoon, why is the flour and water measurement in gram, please? Rather confused with measurement with cup size (US or UK)
Thanks
Yoke
christieathome
I hope you enjoy it! For any dough like recipes I prefer to instruct in grams for exact measurements so that anyone in the UK or America won't make the recipe wrong since cup measurements seem to differ in the US, Canada, UK, etc.
Christina
I would love to try your recipe. It sounds so promising especially as it makes a large batch. When you add in the water to the dough, is it cold water. Also, the flour measurement is in cup. May i please have the measurement in grams? When I google i get different answers. Thanks
christieathome
Thank you so much! 😊 I hope you enjoy it! I’ve included the measurement in grams (500 grams of flour) and it should be room temperature water. Everything has been updated in the recipe card below the blog post. Happy cooking!
Christina
Tried your recipe and it's really good and the dough was a dream to work with. Only thing is I made it a little too thick. Will roll it out thinner next time. Can these be made ahead, filled n crimped n stored in the freezer. How long will they last. Do we need to drop it onto hot oil straight out of the freezer or should it be thawed first?
christieathome
Awesome to hear! You can make them ahead and freeze them in an air tight container - they should last a few months or until you see freezer burn essentially. You can carefully lower them into the hot oil frozen. Just be careful of oil splatter due to the moisture.
Asha
Hi Christine. I tried it out this recipe and speaking as a Malaysian, it was absolutely spot on. The pastry was crispy, light and tasty - something I hadn’t been able to achieve before. So Thank you for this fab recipe.
christieathome
Thank you so much Asha for this kind comment! I am so happy you enjoyed it 🙂 Have a lovely day!
Marietta
I have been trying out various doughs for baked samosas for the past year, and FINALLY found the perfect one- this recipe! It rolls out nice and thin without tearing, and remains flexible when shaping. I bake for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees and they come out lightly browned, crispy, but not hard. Thank you so much!
christieathome
Thank you so much Marietta for sharing your comment with me! I am so happy to hear that this dough works well for you. It's also tricky to find the right one isn't it! Have a lovely day! - Christie
Zainab
Could I bake these instead of frying? What temperature should I put it at and for how long?🤔
christieathome
Yes you can bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 mins until golden and brown. Hope this helps!
Susan
Hi Christie, I nid clarification on dough preparation.. the oil 1/3 and 3 teaspoons.. is it heat hot 3 tablespoons, then pour into hole of prepared dough flour , then separately add 1/3 cup (1 third) cold oil to the prepared dough..thank you !
christieathome
Hi Susan! For the dough preparation, you can heat 1/3 cup plus 3 tbsp of oil all heated and then poured into the flour. I had to be precise with the oil hence the "separation" but it's really all inclusive. Hope this helps!
Catherine
I just make this today & my oh my it's the best!!!!!!!
Thank you for sharing ♥️
christieathome
So happy to hear that it went well! Thanks so much for making my recipe Catherine! 🙂
EVDOKIA FRYER
What oil do you use for the pastry. Are going to make these today.
christieathome
Any neutral oil like avocado oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, or canola oil. Avoid using olive oil, coconut oil or sesame oil
Corinne
Long winded but great on a rainy day with hubby. Was a bit heavy on the Chilli powder but worked out delicious with flaky pastry .... I deep fried them 2 mins either side will definitely do them again, lots of curry powder a must.
Eileen
Just back from Malaysia! Very easy recipe with clear instructions.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Eileen! Glad it was an easy recipe with clarity!
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!
Loges Yeow
what does the hot oil do to the dough?
christieathome
It moistens the dough and also makes it crispier.
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.