Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Curry Puffs


I get manic periods of restless energy sometimes, which balance my procrastination nicely. Too bad the manic fits are few and far in between. So one such time when I had a huge backlog of utterly awful movies I wanted to watch... (Why do I watch awful movies, you ask? Because they are there.) I boiled a bushel of potatoes, defrosted 4 packs of puff pastry sheets and settled in for an afternoon of absolute suspension of disbelief.
At the end of the whole exercise, I has sore knuckles and a freezer full of curry puffs. Now all I have do every Sunday morning is to pull some out, pop them in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes and we have fresh Curry Puffs for breakfast or as we like to call em in Pune...Pattice. And only the Hindustan Bakery ones qualify as Pattice, others are just poor imitations. Since mine are undoubtedly an imitation, I will keep calling them Curry Puffs. Pattice and leisurely cups of tea remain a time honoured Sunday tradition in most Pune homes and bringing just a little bit of that to my apartment in NJ transports me immediately to my moms home... lounging about in PJs with Chayageet, endless cups of steaming ginger tea, the idle chatter, the cooker whistle going off, sunlight streaming in through open windows, the much loved ritual of oiling and washing hair. It was a happy place.


Fresh out of the oven- crumbly, buttery curry puffs.

Ingredients
Potatoes
Peas
Fresh curry leaves
Fresh grated ginger
Spices
Turmeric
Hing
Mustard seeds
Cumin seeds
Chili powder
Coriander powder
Garam Masala
Chaat Masala
Salt
Boil, peel and dice the potatoes, temper some oil with mustard, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Add the turmeric, ginger and hing. Add potatoes, peas and toss with spiced and salt. Mix and stuff into defrosted puff pastry sheets. Bake at 350 degrees till golden brown and serve hot.
These are great for making ahead and storing since they keep forever in the freezer. Just make sure you freeze them on a tray before you put them a Ziploc bag so that they won't stick together. The process could not be simpler but it is a little time consuming.
Also I haven't given measurments for anything because the mixture is so versatile and everybody has a unique way of preparing it. These are not rules, merely a preference.
Seriously, it could not be simpler guys and biting into a warm curry puff on a wintery morning more then makes up for the sore knuckles. Well, almost! :)
These have to enjoyed with Masala chai.
For my masala chai, I boil the tea water with grated ginger, tiny peice of cinnamon, couple of cardommom pods, 1 whole black pepper, and 1 clove. Then add milk, sugar and strong Assam tea. Boil slightly shy of the nice, red color, take off the heat and cover and keep for a minute. Strain and enjoy.

30 comments:

Unknown

I know puffs and tea is just heaven! i also make it with egg filling..

Manasi

Gosh Divya! that was fast...I made the egg filling too but for some reason it didn't taste so well after freezing. Any idea why?

Jessica@Foodmayhem

Yum, it's funny you mention imitation curry puffs because I've tried different ones at so many places, there seems to be so many different versions.

lubnakarim06

Wow looks soft, crisp and yummy.

Sheetal Kiran

ahhh yes, Sundays and Hindustan Bakery puffs ... such memorable times. My grandfather used to get those on every Sunday, miss them so very much! Lovely post as usual Manasi ... so beautiful and nostalgic.

taste memory

I love all the spices you are using as they are sweet, savory and comforting. Your photography is beautiful as I love the tones in the color as well as placement of your imagery. Thanks for you comment on my blog, I'm so glad you did and now I found your blog! will add you on my read list as well as I do enjoy the ease + love you put into your blog ;-)

Purva Desai

First time to this delicious blog.....
Curry puffs looks really tempting, puffy and crispy along with hot sizzling masala tea...

Manasi

kitchen flavors, thanks for the nice words.

taste memory, it means a lot coming from you. i looorrve your blog. the pictures, the writing, the look....everything! thanks for dropping in.

purva, hot, sizzling masala tea is the only way to go!

Adhi Potoba

A favourite Sunday morning for me was to climb the Fergusson hill early in the morning from the Ganeshkhind side, get down from the Fergusson side and walk down to Santosh bakery to stand in line for hot patice that had just come out of the oven. Of course followed by more pigging out at Vaishali.

Deepthi Shankar

looks very nice ...

Usha

Your puffs look yum, I make mine with similar filling and I am with you on the ginger tea with pepper, nothing to beat endless cups of masala tea:-)

Madhavi

WOW this puffs looks toooo delicious, oh wanna eat right now. Greattttt entry!!!

I posted an event for Children's Day event on my blog, plz participate!!! Here's link..

http://vegetarianmedley.blogspot.com/2008/11/celebrating-childrens-day-event.html

Laavanya

Puff pastry does make our life so much easier.. :) Curry puffs look great.. i used to have it often with tea when studying in Spore.

Unknown

Thanks for the compliment..Glad your dad liked my recipes.

Unknown

And regarding the egg filling, i have no idea Manasi. I have always made them fresh..

Anonymous

Indrajjet, I would like my pattice without the workout, thanks. :)

Deesha, thanks, It tasted nice too.:)

Usha, is there any other tea besides ginger tea?

Madhavi, thanks for letting me know about the Children's day event. Will surely try to participate.

Laavanya, what would we do without frozen puff pastry, cookie dough and rotis :)

Sagari

delecious puffs manasi

veggie belly

Back home, our sundays were about oil baaths, ghee rice and naps. Curry puffs sounds so much better! When I get those bouts of energy (usually due to over caffeination), I tell myself I should go to the gym and work it off....never happens.

Manasi

Thanks Sagari

Veggie Belly, i plan to go to the gym too.... someday :) there is something to be said for good intentions, right?

Deepthi Shankar

looks yumm .. its been ages since i had these

Manasi

Drop in anytime Deesha!

Pragyan

I tried making puff pastries for the first time today..was absolutely delighted to have them after so so so long..

Sig

LOL, I am sure the effort is all worth it and you will be very happy devouring these on a lazy morning or afternoon... I sure would love a couple right about now...

Uj

Wow..Puffs look great. I just went in search of Pastry sheets yesterday and when I did not get them decided to make it at home.. But I am waiting for the day I get in high spirit to try it out [;)]..

Varsha Vipins

Hi Manasi..quite new here..loved ur blog..:)..n I am planning since God-knows-when to make this.An untouched sheet is lying frozen in m y refrigerator for long..should try soon..:P

Sharmi

they look so warm and comforting with some chai!!

Srikitchen

hey1 it looks perfect and too good!
do visit my blog when u find time!
join in the sweet event going in my blog!

Manasi

Sharmi, Srilekha, a dozen thanks :)

Kalyan Karmakar

you made these yourself...you deserve a Nobel!!!

Manasi

Knife, I know...right?!

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