Curry Puff

4.65 from 39 votes
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Golden, flaky, and crispy curry puffs filled with savory chicken and potatoes, made with homemade pastry from scratch. This is the most authentic recipe you’ll find online and rivals the best ones sold by street vendors in Malaysia!

Flaky, golden and crispy homemade curry puffs on a white plate.
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The Best Curry Puff Recipe

Curry puff is a popular Asian pastry with a savory chicken and potato filling, commonly found in Malaysia and Singapore. We call them karipap in Malay, and they’re a nice example of Malaysia’s multicultural mix. While they trace back to the Indian samosas, they’re really a blend of Indian, Malay, and Chinese-Peranakan (Nyonya) influences—just one of the many reasons Malaysian food is so richly diverse and delicious!

I enjoy it any time of day—as a morning breakfast, an afternoon tea snack, or a late-night treat. It’s similar to Western pastries or pies, but this version is deep-fried for that signature golden-brown crispiness.

In Malaysia, traditional home cooking often relies on estimation, or “agak-agak,” but this recipe is precise, with exact measurements for every ingredient. It’s the real deal!

In this tutorial, I’ll be sharing my friend’s secret recipe and techniques with you, including a step-by-step photo guide for each part, vegetarian and vegan substitutes, and a simple hack for quicker results.

Side note: In Malaysia, agak-agak loosely means “estimate” or “go by feel.” It’s commonly used in cooking, where you might just “throw in” ingredients based on instinct rather than exact measurements.


Spiral Curry Puff

Spiral curry puff with crispy and crumbly pastry shell.

There are many versions of curry puffs in Malaysia, but I have to say the best ones are the spiral curry puffs. The flaky, layered shell really stands out, and you can tell they’re often made by traditional home cooks who spend hours perfecting their recipes.

The secret lies in the flaky pastry. Once you get the right ratio of ingredients and nail the technique, you’ll be able to make crispy, flaky curry puffs that look just like the ones in my photos, complete with those beautiful spirals on the skin.

The combination of that crispy shell with spicy chicken curry and potatoes is just fantastic! If you’re looking for a perfect recipe, this one is it.


Malaysian Curry Puff Ingredients

Ingredients for curry puff recipe.
  • Chicken
  • Potato
  • Onion
  • Dried chilies
  • Garlic
  • Shallots
  • Curry leaves
  • Curry powder
  • Butter
  • Oil
  • Ghee (optional)
  • Flour
  • Water
  • Salt
  • Sugar

How to Make Spiral Curry Puff

Spice paste for chicken curry puff.

Step 1: Filling

Soak dried chillies in hot water for 5 minute. Rinse and blend together with shallots till fine. Mix in curry powder.

Cooked curry puff filling in a bowl.

Step 2: Heat oil in a wok and sauté the chili paste and curry leaves until fragrant. Add the diced chicken and potatoes, and fry for 3 minutes over medium heat. Then add the onions and water. Simmer for 5 minutes or until almost dry. Remove from heat and let cool.

Curry puff pastry made with water dough.

Step 3: Curry Puff Pastry

Water dough

Mix salt into water to create salt water. Gradually add the salt water to the flour, kneading slowly to form a smooth white dough. Divide the dough into portions of 85 g (3 oz) each and roll them into balls. Set aside.

Curry puff pastry made with oil dough.

Step 4: Oil dough

Add butter and ghee to the flour and knead to form a dough. Divide the dough into portions of 70 g (2½ oz) each.

Curry puff pastry recipe using both water oil and oil dough.

Step 5: Flatten the water dough and wrap the oil dough inside. Pinch the edges to seal it well. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Rolling curry puff pastry into rolls.

Step 6: Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to form a rectangle measuring 20 x 11 cm (8″ x 4″). Starting from the shorter end, roll it up tightly into a Swiss roll. Then, flatten the rolled dough slightly by rolling from the shorter end. Finally, roll it up again from the shorter side to form another Swiss roll.

Pastry dough for curry puff, cut into four pieces.

Step 7: Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat the process until you have finished with the remaining dough. Then, cut the dough into 4 pieces.

Wrapping curry puff pastry with chicken and potato filling.

Step 8: Roll a piece of the cut dough into a circle using a rolling pin. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center.

Curry puffs on a plate, ready for deep frying.

Step 9: Brush the edge with water and fold the dough in half. Press the edges together to seal, forming a half-moon shape. Pinch the edge of the puff with your thumb, bringing the back side forward and sealing it with the front. Repeat this process to create about 8-9 pleats.

Deep fried Malaysian curry puffs on a cooling rack.

Step 10: Heat oil in a wok or deep fryer until very hot, ensuring there’s enough oil to fully submerge the puffs. Deep fry the puffs over medium heat until golden brown.


Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between spiral (layered) and regular curry puff?

Spiral curry puff have an extra flaky texture because they’re made by layering two types of dough—one water-based and one oil-based. This creates that unique, crispy look and bite! Regular curry puff are simpler, using just one type of dough without the layers.

How can I prevent my curry puff filling from becoming too watery?

To avoid a soggy filling, make sure to cook down any excess liquid before assembling. This keeps the filling thick and prevents the pastry from becoming wet.

What oil is best for frying curry puff?

Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable or canola oil, when frying. This way, the oil won’t add any strong flavors, so the filling shines through, and you’ll get a light, crispy crust.

How do I prevent the curry puff from absorbing too much oil when frying?

Make sure the oil is hot enough before frying—around 180°C (350°F). If the oil’s too cold, the pastry will soak up extra oil and turn greasy. Right after frying, drain them on paper towels to keep them crisp.

How many calories per serving?

This curry puff recipe is only 144 calories per serving.

Curry Puff - Irresistible taste of Malaysia | rasamalaysia.com

Other Street Food You Might Like

If you love street food just like I do, you will definitely enjoy the following hawker delights in Malaysia.

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4.65 from 39 votes

Curry Puff

Golden, flaky, and crispy curry puffs filled with savory chicken and potatoes, made with homemade pastry from scratch. This is the most authentic recipe you’ll find online and rivals the best ones sold by street vendors in Malaysia!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 2 puffs
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Ingredients  

Filling Ingredients

  • 1 kg (2 lb) chicken meat, diced
  • 1 kg (2 lb) potatoes, diced
  • 500 g (1 lb) onions, diced
  • 4-5 curry leaves
  • 2-3 tablespoons curry powder
  • 15 dried chillies
  • 8 shallots
  • 125 ml water
  • salt , to taste
  • sugar, to taste
  • 5 tablespoons oil

Water Dough

  • 900 g (1.9 lb) flour
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 335 g (11.8 oz) water

Oil Dough

  • 340 g (11.9 oz) butter
  • 20 g (¾ oz) ghee, optional
  • 730 g (1⅓ lb) flour

Instructions 

Filling

  • Soak dried chillies in hot water for 5 minute. Rinse and blend together with shallots till fine. Mix in curry powder.
  • Heat oil in a wok and sauté the chili paste and curry leaves until fragrant. Add the diced chicken and potatoes, and fry for 3 minutes over medium heat. Then add the onions and water. Simmer for 5 minutes or until almost dry. Remove from heat and let cool.

Dough

    Water Dough

    • Mix salt into water to create salt water. Gradually add the salt water to the flour, kneading slowly to form a smooth white dough. Divide the dough into portions of 85 g (3 oz) each and roll them into balls. Set aside.

    Oil Dough

    • Add butter and ghee to the flour and knead to form a dough. Divide the dough into portions of 70 g (2½ oz) each.

    To make spiral skin

    • Flatten the water dough and wrap the oil dough inside. Pinch the edges to seal it well. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
    • Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to form a rectangle measuring 20 x 11 cm (8" x 4"). Starting from the shorter end, roll it up tightly into a Swiss roll. Then, flatten the rolled dough slightly by rolling from the shorter end. Finally, roll it up again from the shorter side to form another Swiss roll.
    • Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat the process until you have finished with the remaining dough. Then, cut the dough into 4 pieces.

    To fill and shape puff

    • Roll a piece of the cut dough into a circle using a rolling pin. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center.
    • Brush the edge with water and fold the dough in half. Press the edges together to seal, forming a half-moon shape. Pinch the edge of the puff with your thumb, bringing the back side forward and sealing it with the front. Repeat this process to create about 8-9 pleats.
    • Heat oil in a wok or deep fryer until very hot, ensuring there’s enough oil to fully submerge the puffs. Deep fry the puffs over medium heat until golden brown.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2puffs, Calories: 144kcal, Carbohydrates: 730g, Protein: 197g, Fat: 268g, Saturated Fat: 145g, Cholesterol: 766mg, Sodium: 3414mg, Fiber: 45g, Sugar: 22g

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

    Please rate and comment below!

    About Rasa Malaysia

    Bee is a recipe developer and best-selling cookbook author, sharing easy, quick, and delicious Asian and American recipes since 2006. With a strong following of almost 2 million fans online, her expertise has been featured in major publications, TV and radio programs, and live cooking demos throughout the United States and Asia.

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    22 Comments

    1. Jegan says:

      5 stars
      in above measurements roughly how many pcs can make?

      1. Joti A says:

        I used half the amount and made 32 large puffs using a standard curry puff mould, so guess this makes 64 large puffs, not 2 puffs as stated at the top of the recipe!

    2. Brian says:

      As a guide what quantities of salt and sugar do you suggest? And for the sugar, does the type matter e.g. palm sugar, raw cane sugar, white sugar etc.?

      1. Rasa Malaysia says:

        Just to taste. Add a pinch and add more to taste. White sugar will be fine.