Kuku Paka Curry Pie

Name: Kuku Paka Curry Pie
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 400 g plain flour; 200 g chilled unsalted butter (diced); 1 tsp salt; A few tbsp water; 3 sheets puff pastry; Vegetable oil (for sautéing); 6 chicken thighs (diced into small cubes); 1 large brown onion (diced); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 2 cm piece of ginger (grated); 1 small bunch coriander (roots finely chopped, leaves torn); 400 g tin diced tomatoes; 400 g tin coconut milk; 1 tbsp ground coriander; 1 tbsp ground turmeric; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 1 tsp chilli powder; 1 tbsp corn starch (made into a slurry with a few tbsp water, optional); Salt (to taste)

A fun take on a warm and hearty curry pie with a rich and coconutty filling of chicken curry.

Ingredients you will need to make the shortcrust dough

Flour

Cold butter

Salt

Water

Ingredients you will need for the Kuku Paka Curry Filling

Chicken thighs

Brown onion

Garlic

Ginger

Fresh coriander

Tinned tomatoes

Coconut milk

Ground coriander

Ground turmeric

Ground cumin

Chilli powder

Corn starch

Salt, to taste

How to make the Kuku Paka Curry

To make the curry, add the chicken to a large bowl and add a tsp salt, the spices, and a drizzle of oil. Toss to thoroughly coat the chicken and set aside.

Heat a heavy based pot over high heat and fry the chicken pieces until golden on both sides, making sure not to overcrowd the pan – cook in batches if required.Remove the chicken and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium high and add a drizzle of oil to the pan. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and coriander roots, and sauté for a few minutes until softened and translucent.

Add back the chicken and all of it’s juices, followed by the tinned tomatoes and coconut milk.

Leaver to simmer for 15-20 minutes until thick and glossy.

Optionally, add the corn starch slurry and simmer for another minute or 2 until further thickened.

Transfer the curry to a bowl and set aside in the fridge until cooled completely.

How to make the easy shortcrust pastry dough

Add flour, butter and salt in a food processor or stand mixer and mix until it resembles fine crumbs with no large lumps of butter. Add water a splash at a time until the dough starts to clump together into larger clumps.

Turn the dough out onto a work bench, press flat with your hands and wrap in cling film. Set aside in the fridge for 20 minutes to rest.

Remove the dough from the fridge and bring to room temperature before rolling out. Sprinkle your work surface generously with flour and roll dough to around 4mm-thick. Cut dough into circles that are at least 1cm larger than the tins you’re using.

Lay the pie dough into the tins and press firmly into the sides.

Bake in the oven for 20-30 mins or until the top is golden and crisp.

Allow the cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Assembling the pie

Spoon in the cooled curry and brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash.

Top with a round of puff pastry, pressing slightly to adhere it to the base pastry. Pierce the top with 2 small holes to allow steam to escape while cooking.

Bake in a 200C oven for 20-30 minutes or until the puff pastry top is golden and flaky and the filling is hot.

Serve with fruit chutney.