Beef curry puffs

Instructions

1. For the filling, heat a large non–stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil, onion and curry leaves and stir until the onions are translucent. Stir in the curry powder and cook until the spices smell fragrant. Add the beef mince, sweet potato and potato and stir until the beef is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. If potatoes are still a little undercooked, add a sprinkle of water to help steam them. Add the sugar and salt, then taste and balance with more seasoning if needed. Spread the mixture evenly on a plate and cool completely before using.
2. Meanwhile, for the spiral pastry, divide the flour between 2 bowls. Add the margarine to one bowl of flour and knead until a smooth ball of dough forms. Add the warm water to the other bowl of flour and repeat – you may not need all the water or all the margarine so hold a little back in the beginning. Roll each ball of dough into a sausage, then cut into 20 even pieces. Roll all the pieces into balls. Flatten a water and flour ball in the palm of your hand, then wrap it around a margarine and flour ball. Pinch to seal, then cover with a damp tea towel to stop the balls from drying out. Repeat until all the balls are used up.
3. To laminate the pastry, working with one ball at a time, flatten each ball with the palm of your hand on a lightly floured surface, then roll in one direction with a rolling pin into a 4 mm-thick oval. Using your fingertips, roll up from the edge closest to you to the furthest edge so you have a spiral log. Turn the spiral facing upwards, then flatten with your palm again. Place on a lightly floured baking tray and repeat with the remaining balls, placing a piece of baking paper in between each layer. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until chilled.
4. To fill the curry puffs, roll each piece of pastry into a 3 mm-thick circle, then fill with about 1 tablespoon of the cooled filling. Seal the edges firmly, then crimp the edges to seal well. Place on a tray, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.
5. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan until a flurry of bubbles rises to the surface when a wooden chopstick touches the bottom of the pan. This means the oil is ready. Add the curry leaves to flavour the oil, then add as many curry puffs as will fit in the saucepan in one layer per batch and cook for 6-7 minutes, turning them regularly so they brown evenly. Drain in a colander lined with paper towel, then serve hot.