Chicken or Mutton Puffs

Puffs are a kind of pastry that usually has a delicious filling that can be sweet but most of the times it is savoury. Chicken or Mutton Puff is a mouthwatering snack that can be enjoyed with your evening tea. For versatility, let me share that you can make the filling with meat, vegetables and/or eggs. Here we bring to you a recipe of savoury puff with meat stuffing.

 

Ingredients for Puff:

•  Maida/All-purpose flour 13 ounces or 390 gm
• Salt- One and a half teaspoon
• Cold unsalted butter about 3 ounces
• Cold water around 210 ml

 

Preparation:

1. Mix the flour and salt together
2. Add butter and toss to mix
3. Add cold ice water gently stir the mix to form dough
4. Put the dough out on a floured work surface.
5. Spread the dough thin. (This helps incorporate the butter and makes the dough flakier)
6. Make a ball out of the dough, wrap in a plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
7. Roll it out into a rectangular shape
8. Fold down the top third of the rectangle over the dough.
9. Fold up the bottom third of the rectangle so the edges of the folded dough touch.
10. Fold left edge of the dough over to meet the right edge, and pinch the edges.
11. Repeat steps 8 through 11.
12. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
13. Repeat steps 8 through 13.
14. The dough is now ready for rolling out and use. When rolling it, do not push too hard (it might break the layers).

Note for convenience: If wrapped tightly in plastic, the dough stores up to one month. Also use half the ingredients if you want to make fresh every time. Make sure to fold dough in same direction- left side to center. Once rolled up and made into the desired shape with the dough- refrigerate for about 30-45 min. before you finally bake it. It is easier to handle when cold, otherwise it tends to break.

Quick-fix Tip: Often the frozen section of grocery stores stock uncooked pastry shells. These would make your work much easier. You just have to fill these with your stuffing and bake. If you have them in your freezer, you may make and store the filling from beforehand; and then assemble it all in about 15 minutes to serve freshly baked Meat Puffs.

 

Keema (Minced Meat) Filling Ingredients :

• Half a kg of minced meat that has been pressure cooked with salt to make it tender (any meat of your choice can be used but my personal preference is lamb/mutton)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 onions of medium-sized that has been finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic -ginger paste
• 2 teaspoons coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 tomatoes of medium-sized that has been finely chopped
• Juice of half a lime
• Chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• Green peas (optional)

Preparation:

• Heat oil and add the cumin seeds till they splutter
• Add ginger-garlic paste and sauce for 2 minutes.
• Add onions and fry till they turn golden
• Add minced meat and sauce for 5 minutes.
• Add all the spices – coriander, cumin, garam masala, chilli powder and salt to taste.
• Continue to cook the keema well.
• Add tomatoes and cook until they soften.
• Turn flame off and add lime juice.
• Mix well.
• Since, I always try to squeeze in some vegetables, I often add green peas to the keema filling.

Bringing it all together:

• Now put the keema filling inside & cover it & close the sides.
• Bake on 375 degrees for approx. 20 minutes or till golden brown in color.
• Keep checking because timing differs from oven to oven.
• Remove from heat and serve immediately to enjoy a crispy savoury Keema Puff