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This curry puffs recipe (karipap) yields savory pastries with a crisp, flaky butter crust and aromatic spiced potato filling. They taste just like veg puffs at your favorite Indian café, and they’re easier to make than you might think!
When I lived in Alexandria, Virginia there was an Indian bakery right around the corner. (It’s the same place that inspired me to make mango vinaigrette!)
It’s perfect for grabbing a quick lunch when you’re out running errands, picking up a delicious take-out dinner, or popping in for a snack and a chat with friends. They had something on the menu called a veg puff, which was one of my favorite treats.
It had a flaky, buttery crust and was stuffed with an aromatic vegetable curry filling. Paired with a piping hot spiced chai latte, it made for a pretty fabulous morning or afternoon snack.
Since I now live in St Petersburg, Florida, it’s a little too far for me to pop by and grab a curry puff. Luckily for me (and you!), they’re easy to make at home!
What is a Curry Puff?
This is a savory pastry that goes by any of the following names: Curry Puffs, Veg Puff, Vegetable Puffs, Karipap, and Epok-Epok.
It’s a Southeast Asian snack: a baked or fried pastry with a curry filling. As far as curries go, the filling is pretty dry so that you don’t end up with soggy pastry. Curried potato filling is my favorite, but you can also commonly find chicken curry puffs as well.
You can find this deliciously crisp savory pastry sold as street food in Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar, Malaysia, India, and Brunei.
Read more about curry puffs on Wikipedia.
The Best Vegetarian Baked Curry Puffs Recipe
In these sections, I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas. For the full recipe (including ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Shortcrust Pastry Dough Ingredients for Savory Pastries
- All-purpose flour – the base of our dough
- Salt – so our dough isn’t bland
- Unsalted butter – make sure it’s chilled and diced small
- Ice-cold water – the water should be very cold so the dough retains small pieces of butter; that’s how we get an extremely flaky crust
Potato Curry Filling
- Russet potatoes – peeled, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes, and boiled until tender
- Vegetable oil – or clarified butter (ghee), avocado oil, or canola oil
- Ginger – for peppery ginger depth of flavor and aroma
- Jalapeño – for a little touch of spicy heat (it mellows significantly when it’s sautéed)
- Salt – a natural flavor enhancer
- Ground cumin, whole coriander seeds, garam masala, black mustard seeds, hing, ground coriander, turmeric, ground fenugreek, and cayenne pepper – this spice blend lends tons of flavor to our Indian vegetable puffs
- Fresh cilantro leaves – for a touch of bright, grassy flavor and pop of color
- Fresh lemon juice – to brighten the flavor and wake up everything else
- Green peas – frozen and thawed are best (avoid canned peas if possible)
Other Ingredients
- Egg – lightly beaten with water for egg wash
- Various chutneys, such as mint or tamarind – these optional condiments are for dipping
- Fresh lemon wedges and fresh mint – these are also optional; they add a burst of flavor and color
Pro Tip: An Economical Way to Source Your Spices
We use quite a few different spices in this recipe, and spices can be pricey, especially at your regular grocery store! Also, you might not find all of these spices at your regular grocery store. Yes, you can find them all on Amazon, but if you’re looking for the best prices, buy spices at your local Indian grocery store instead.
How to Make Curry Puffs
Make the Dough
- Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork, a pastry cutter, 2 butter knives, or your fingertips.
- It should look crumbly, with some pieces of butter the size of small peas.
- Drizzle the water in a little at a time, mixing as you go (you can use a fork to mix, but it works best mixing with your fingertips). Add just enough water so it comes together to form a ball of dough (you may need more or less water).
- Roll the dough into a ball, flatten it slightly into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
Chop and Boil the Potato
- Peel the potato, and then chop it into 1/4-inch cubes.
- Add the chopped potato to a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, and then turn the heat down so it doesn’t boil over and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well.
Make the Vegetable Curry Filling
- Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the ginger and jalapeño and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the cumin, coriander seeds, garam masala, black mustard seeds, hing, ground coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, and cayenne pepper.
- Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat and add the potato, cilantro leaves, lemon juice, and peas. Use a potato masher to mash the veggies a bit.
- Don’t overdo it, we still want some larger pieces of potato. This is how the filling should look when it’s done.
Assemble and Bake the Curry Puffs
- Place the chilled disk of dough onto a floured work surface. Working from the center out, roll the dough out to a rectangle about 11 to 12 by 16 to 18 inches. For this amount of filling, you will need 10 to 12 (4-inch) dough circles. Stamp out as many as you can, and then gather the dough scraps, re-roll the dough, and stamp out more if needed.
- Put 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable filling in the center of each dough circle. Lightly brush egg wash on the outer half of dough on each, and fold the pastry over onto itself with the egg wash side facing the side with no egg wash (this will help the pastries stick together).
- Transfer the pastries to a large baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silpat liner. Transfer the whole tray to the fridge to chill for 15 minutes (this helps yield the flakiest crust!). Lightly brush the top of each pastry with egg wash. Use a sharp paring knife to cut 3 small slits in the top of each pastry (so steam can escape).
- Bake until the pastries are puffed, golden, and flaky, about 30 minutes at 400F.
Variations on Karipap
- Dough – Here we make a quick and easy pie dough from scratch. However, you can also use store-bought pie dough or frozen puff pastry.
- Potato – I usually use Russet potato here, but yellow potato, gold potato, or red potato all work well. Or for a little bit of earthy sweetness, you can use sweet potato.
- Chicken – If you want to make chicken curry puffs, you can reduce the potato by half, omit the peas, and add up to 2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken.
- Red meat, such as lamb – For curry puffs with meat, feel free to cut the potato in half, omit the peas, and add up to 2 cups of cooked, shredded lamb (or goat or beef). Another option is to reduce the potato by half, omit the peas, and add 3/4 pound of browned and drained ground lamb (or goat or beef).
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover veg puffs covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat these individual pastries on a baking sheet in a 350F oven until fully warm, about 10 to 15 minutes. I don’t recommend reheating them in the microwave because the gorgeous crust will lose its crisp flakiness.
Curry Puffs Recipe FAQs
Can You Freeze Veg Puffs?
Yes, these freeze well!
To do so, once they’re cooled to room temperature, arrange them in a single layer between pieces of parchment paper in a freezer-safe airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
After freezing, thaw these overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Are Curry Puffs and Samosas the Same?
The short answer: Not exactly.
The longer answer: The filling is very similar (if not the same), but the main difference between curry puffs and samosas is the dough or pastry. Curry puffs or veg puffs have a puff-pastry-like dough that’s light and flaky, and commonly contain clarified butter (ghee) or regular butter. On the other hand, samosas have a denser dough that commonly uses ghee or oil.
I find curry puffs most similar to baked samosas.
What Are the Black Balls in Curry?
Black mustard seeds! They add peppery, nutty flavor nuances to Indian dishes.
To get the most bang for your buck and really bring out their flavor, it’s best to fry black mustard seeds in a little oil. They will pop and release their aroma.
How Do You Eat Curry Puffs?
This is classic snack food! They also make delicious appetizers.
And if you happen to have leftovers on hand, they’re also good for breakfast paired with a cup of hot spiced chai.
More Curry Recipes to Try
- Rogan Josh (Kashmiri Red Curry with Meat)
- Authentic Thai Green Curry Paste Recipe
- 10-Minute Curried Chicken Salad Recipe (Coronation Chicken)
Let’s Connect
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Baked Curry Puffs Recipe (Karipap or Veg Puff)
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Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter chilled and diced
- 1/2 cup ice-cold water
Vegetable Curry Filling:
- 2 medium Russet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly-grated ginger
- 1 jalapeno minced
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
- 3/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon hing
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or 1 teaspoon amchur/amchoor
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas thawed and drained well
Other:
- 1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
- Mint chutney for serving (optional)
- Tamarind chutney for serving (optional)
- Fresh lemon wedges to squeeze on top (optional)
- Fresh mint for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Make the Dough and Let it Chill:
- Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork, a pastry cutter, 2 butter knives, or your fingertips. It should look crumbly, with some pieces of butter the size of small peas.
- Drizzle the water in a little at a time, mixing as you go (you can use a fork to mix, but it works best mixing with your fingertips). Add just enough water so it comes together to form a ball of dough (you may need more or less water).
- Roll the dough into a ball, flatten it slightly into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
Make the Filling:
- Add the chopped potato to a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, and then turn the heat down so it doesn’t boil over and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well.
- Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the ginger and jalapeño and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the cumin, coriander seeds, garam masala, black mustard seeds, hing, ground coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, and cayenne pepper and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat and add the potato, cilantro leaves, lemon juice, and peas. Use a potato masher to mash the veggies a bit (don’t overdo it, we still want some larger pieces of potato).
Assemble the Pastries:
- Place the chilled disk of dough onto a floured work surface. Working from the center out, roll the dough out to a rectangle about 11 to 12 by 16 to 18 inches.
- For this amount of filling, you will need 10 to 12 (4-inch) dough circles. Stamp out as many as you can, and then gather the dough scraps, re-roll the dough, and stamp out more if needed.
- Put 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable filling in the center of each dough circle. Lightly brush egg wash on the outer half of dough on each, and fold the pastry over onto itself with the egg wash side facing the side with no egg wash (this will help the pastries stick together).
- Transfer the pastries to a large baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silpat liner. Transfer the whole tray to the fridge to chill for 15 minutes (to yield the flakiest crust!).
Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Lightly brush the top of each pastry with egg wash. Use a sharp paring knife to cut 3 small slits in the top of each pastry (so steam can escape).
- Bake until the pastries are puffed, golden, and flaky, about 30 minutes.
Notes
- Store-Bought Dough: To make this quick and easy, use store-bought pie dough and/or store-bought puff pastry instead of making your own pie dough.
- Storage and Reheating: Store leftover veg puffs covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat these individual pies on a baking sheet in a 350F oven until fully warm, about 10 to 15 minutes. I don’t recommend reheating them in the microwave because the gorgeous crust will lose its crisp flakiness.
- Freezer-Friendly: These curry puffs freeze well! To do so, once they’re cooled to room temperature, arrange them in a single layer between pieces of parchment paper in a freezer-safe airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. After freezing, thaw these overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
Just made these and the pastry is superb (I whizzed it up in the food processor).
The filling is very good also – I also added curry leaves, Nigella seeds, fennel seeds and some Kashmiri chilli.
Will definitely make these again and probably beef up the spices a little more and serve with Noc Nam. Happy Days🙏