CAPE MALAY CHICKEN CURRY POT PIES

Perfect for a casual kitchen supper with friends, these warming dishes are a fresh spin on some SA favourites

CAPE MALAY CHICKEN CURRY POT PIES

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 4 baby marrows, sliced
  • 35ml olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 15ml fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 400g deboned chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 packet readymade Cape Malay curry sauce
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 packet puff pastry, defrosted
  • flour, for dusting
  • 1 egg, mixed with 10ml milk

To serve:

  • yellow raisin rice*
  • sambals (optional)

METHOD

1. Place the carrots in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 7–8 minutes. Add the baby marrows and cook for a few more minutes until the vegetables are just tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat 15ml of the olive or avocado oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and cook over a moderate heat for 4–5 minutes or until the onion starts to soften. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining 20ml of oil in the pan and add the chicken pieces; fry until golden brown (about 5 minutes).
4. Return the onion mixture to the pan and stir in the carrots and baby marrows. Add the Cape Malay curry sauce and simmer for 5–7 minutes. Season to taste. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
5. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
6. Divide the Cape Malay chicken curry between four individual pie dishes and place on a baking tray.
7. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface and cut out 4 pastry tops.
8. Brush the lips of the pie dishes with some of the egg wash. Cover the pies with the pastry and make a small incision in the
tops to allow the steam to escape. Brush with the egg wash and bake for 20–25 minutes. (If you’d prefer to make one large pie, bake it for 30–40 minutes.)
9. Serve the pies with yellow raisin rice and sambals (optional).

*Cook’s note: To make yellow raisin rice, add 2–3ml turmeric to the rice pot during cooking. Add some raisins in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain well, season to taste and stir in a little butter and some toasted flaked almonds and fresh chopped coriander, if desired.

This recipe serves 4.