Karipap is one of my favourite kuih. “Kuih” are bite-size snacks. This may sound alien to some but in Malaysia, we eat kuih not just at teatime but also for breakfast – and anytime of the day really. We’re a foodie nation!
I am no food historian but I suspect karipap comes from the word “curry puff”. Decades have passed since the British colonisation and the word “curry puff” has also been Malaysian-ised (does this word exist?!). Puff is a little misleading though. If you imagine the pastry to have multiple layers like puff pastries, you’re in for a disappointment. But I’ll tell you one thing, puff or no puff, they are delicious and if you’ve never tried one, you’re missing out.
In Malaysia, many roadside stalls and restaurants sell karipap. Obviously, they’re not as easily sourced in London. But worry not, making karipap is not that difficult. It’s also suitable for home freezing which is a bonus. I made a batch over the weekend and froze them. Now I have instant karipap stored away in my freezer – for those days when I need some snack to keep me going (or a quick breakfast. Almost).
By the way, there are many variations of karipap: for both the pastry and filling. Each family probably has its own favourite recipe which they claim is the best. I’m not saying that the one I made the other day is the best karipap ever. Far from it. This one’s a basic recipe. Sometimes, for me, simple is better.
First you will need to make the filling.
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 potatoes, diced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 30g dried shrimp, soaked in water, drained and roughly blended
- 2½ tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 sprig curry leaves (if you have some, I don’t)
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1½ cups water
- 3 hard boiled eggs
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice
- salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a wok or a pan, heat the oil to medium to high heat.
Fry the onions until fragrant. Add in the chopped garlic and dried shrimp and fry for a few minutes.
Mix the curry and chili powder with a few spoons of water to form a paste. Add the paste, curry leaves (if using) to the pan. Fry until fragrant and the oil starts to separate.
Add the diced potatoes, stir so that the potatoes are well coated in the curry paste.
Add salt. Add the water and cover the wok/pan and lower the heat. The steam will help speed up the cooking process. Stir occasionally to avoid the potatoes from sticking to the pan and burning.
Once the water has dried and the potatoes are cooked, add the lemon juice, have a taste and add more salt/lemon juice if needed. Add the parsley stir quickly and turn off the heat and let it cool completely. Cut the boiled eggs into 6 and add to the filling.
Now, lets make the pastry.
INGREDIENTS:
- 300g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 100ml vegetable oil, heated
- 150ml ice cold water
- 1½ tsp lime juice
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large bowl, measure the flour and add the salt.
Carefully pour in the hot oil. Be really careful. With a wooden spoon, stir. The flour will turn into golden crumbs.
When the mixture has cooled a bit, you can use your hands, if preferred.
Add the ice cold water and stir.
Lastly, add the lemon juice. The lemon juice helps to tenderize the dough although the amount added is too little to change the taste of the dough. Mix until combined and everything comes together, perhaps using your hands would be easier.
The dough doesn’t need to be kneaded like making bread. Cover with a tea towel or cling wrap and let the dough rest for 15 to 30 minutes.
When the filling has cooled and the dough rested. It’s time to shape the karipap.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to a thickness of about 2mm. Cut the dough into round shapes using a pastry cutter.
Place the filling in the centre. The amount depends on the size of karipap you’re making.
Be generous with your filling but you still need to be able to fold it into a half-moon shape and press the edges to seal.
The pleating may need some practise for those who have never done it before.
Here’s how you do it.
Press the corner of the pastry.
Using your thumb, from the bottom, lift the edge up and press, pulling the pastry outward (slightly) when pressing.
Repeat the process until you’ve done the entire edge.
One karipap is done.
Continue with the rest until you’ve finished all the filling, the dough or both.
To deep fry, you will need to use lots of oil. Add oil in a wok or pot and heat to medium to high heat. Fry the karipap until golden this may take a few minutes each side.
To freeze the karipap:
Arrange the karipap on a plate or tray in a single layer and put them in the freezer. Once frozen, you can gather them and put them in a freezer bag. To use, fry from frozen. No need to thaw beforehand.
