Recipe: Flakey Curry Turnovers and Basic Chinese Chicken Broth

FLAKEY CURRY TURNOVERS

"These flaky curry turnovers are one of my favorite appetizers. I first sampled them in Taipei at a Cantonese dim sum parlor. I've adapted the recipe to suit my own tastes, substituting butter for lard in the pastry and ground turkey for the pork in the filling."

FOR THE TURNOVER PASTRY:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup (10 2/3 tablespoons) chilled unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water, as needed

FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 pound lean ground turkey or beef
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons corn or canola oil
2 medium-size red onions, finely diced (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon curry powder, preferably Madras curry
1 cup cooked fresh or thawed frozen peas

FOR THE THICKENING SAUCE, mixed together:
1/2 cup Basic Chinese Chicken Broth (recipe follows)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch

TO FINISH THE TURNOVERS:
1 large egg, lightly beaten with
2 tablespoons water

TO MAKE THE TURNOVER PASTRY:
Combine the flour and salt in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal.

Combine the egg and 1/4 cup of the cold water. With the machine running, slowly add the egg mixture and process just until roughly combined. Add up to a tablespoon more water if the mixture is dry. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and, using the heels of your hands, lightly knead the mixture into a rough dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

MEANWHILE, TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Place the meat in a medium-size bowl, add the soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil, and mix well with your fingers.

Heat a wok or a large heavy skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 1 teaspoon of the corn or canola oil and heat until hot, about 30 seconds. Add the seasoned ground meat and cook over medium-high heat, breaking up any lumps with a spatula, until the meat loses its raw color. Remove and drain in a colander.

Reheat the pan over high heat until very hot, add the remaining tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons oil, and heat until hot, about 30 seconds. Add the onions and stir-fry over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the curry powder and stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds.

Combine the ingredients for the thickening sauce and add to the pan; cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Add the cooked meat and the peas, toss lightly, and remove the pan from the heat. Spread the filling out on a cookie sheet and refrigerate until cool.

TO MAKE THE TURNOVERS:
Divide the dough in half on a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of dough out into a circle about 1/6 inch thick. Using a round cookie cutter 2-inches in diameter, cut out circles from the dough and place them on a floured surface. Gather the dough scraps together into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 10 to 15 minutes, while you repeat the process with the remaining dough. Then roll out the chilled scraps and cut more circles; you should have about 36 in all.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a heaping teaspoon of the curry filling in the center of each dough circle and fold it over to form a half-circle, enclosing the filling. Use the tines of a fork to create a decorative finish or press and fold to form a pleated finish, on the rounded edge of each turnover.

Brush the surface of the turnovers with the beaten egg and place on greased cookie sheets.

Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool briefly, and serve warm.

BASIC CHINESE CHICKEN BROTH

9 cups water
2 1/2 pounds chicken backs, necks, bones, and/or pieces
1 cup rice wine or sake
6 slices fresh ginger, about the size of a quarter, lightly smashed with the flat edge of a knife

Combine the water with the chicken bones, rice wine, and ginger slices in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours, skimming the surface to remove any impurities.

Strain the broth through a fine-meshed strainer, removing the bones or chicken pieces, and skim to remove any fat. Use as directed in the individual recipes.

Makes 36 Turnovers
Source: Asian Wraps by Nina Simonds