Cookbook Chronicles: Try this Recipe from ‘Asian Pies’

Foodie News Flash columnist Beate is back to review another new cookbook with a local spin on comfort food classics, plus a yummy recipe!

The cookbook Asian Pies blends Asian flavours and curries with the Western comfort food pie. This formula works on a couple of levels; as a way of serving local fare in a fun new way – Singapore Chilli Crab Mini Puffs (p. 94) as canapés alongside G&Ts one tropical evening? It’s also as a way of cooking once and serving dinner twice (what busy mama can say no to that?). Make a Beef Rendang curry one night with rice and vegetable sides, pile the leftovers in a pie dish, whack a pastry lid on top and voila! Beef Rendang Pie (p. 32), sorted for Sunday dinner!

Recipe Spotlight: Sardine and Chilli Puffs

We choose this recipe as it has the shortest amount of ingredients (most of which you might have on hand in your pantry) and the method was the shortest, too – double bonus for a quick and easy Omega-3 packed snack. Plus the picture looks cute as pie!

Sardine and Chilli Puffs

Makes 12 puffs
1 egg lightly beaten for egg wash

PASTRY

Flaky, Plain Shortcrust or puff (recipes in the book or buy ready-made)

FILLING

• 425 grams (15oz) canned sardines in tomato sauce
• 6 large calamansi limes juiced
• ½ tsp salt
• 60 ml (2 fl oz / ¼ cup) oil
• 2 medium onions peeled, sliced
• 3 medium red chillies seeded, thinly sliced
• 3 medium green chillies, seeded, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 sprig curry leaves, de-stalked and shredded

Directions

1. Prepare filling. In a medium mixing bowl coarsely mash the sardines with a folk, including the bones if preferred. Mix lime juice with salt and sugar and set aside.
2. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onions until soft. Toss in the chillies and continue to cook for another 30 seconds.
3. Add tomato paste and mashed sardines. Mix until just combined. Allow filling to cool down before baking.
4. Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) for at least 15 minutes.
5. To assemble: knead the curry leaves into the dough and roll out between 2 pieces of silicone baking sheets or a slightly floured surface to a 3mm (1/8 in) thickness. Using 10cm (4 in) round cookie cutters cut out pastry circles, two pieces per puff. Place 2 ½ tablespoons filling in the centre of the pasty, fold it over and pleat to seal the edges. Chill for 10 minutes in fridge before baking. Repeat using all filling and pastry.
6. Brush each puff with egg wash using a pastry brush.
7. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Bon appetit, mamas!

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