Yellow curry chicken and pumpkin pies

Ingredients

• 750g chicken thigh fillets, cut into large bite-sized pieces

• 250ml coconut milk

• 250ml chicken stock

• 3 makrut leaves, bruised

• 1-2 tbsp fish sauce

• 1-2 tbsp oyster sauce

• 1 tbsp shaved palm sugar

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 500g roasted 3cm pieces of pumpkin

• 30g cornflour mixed with 4-6 tbsp water to make a slurry

• 2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, defrosted

• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, defrosted

• 1 egg and 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten, for egg wash

for the yellow curry paste
(makes 1½ cups)

• 1 red onion, chopped

• 8 garlic cloves, peeled

• 6 coriander roots, scraped and cleaned

• 4cm piece fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped

• 4cm piece fresh ginger, chopped

• 8 dried long red chillies, seeded and soaked in warm water for 20 minutes, drained

For the spice mix

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• ½ tsp white peppercorns

• 2 tbsp sea salt

For the cucumber pickle topping

• 6 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 6 tbsp caster sugar

• 8 tbsp water

• 4 tbsp ginger, julienned

• 8 sliced eschalots (Asian shallots)

• 2 small red chillies

• ½ diced cucumber

Method

1. Step 1

   Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional).

2. Step 2

   To make the yellow curry paste, dry-roast the onion, garlic, coriander roots, turmeric and ginger in a small heavy-based saucepan or wok over medium heat, stirring frequently until coloured and soft, about 8-10 minutes. You want them to caramelise to give the finished curry flavour depth. Scrape into a large bowl with the chillies. Set aside to cool before transferring to a food processor and blending for 3-4 minutes to a smooth reddish-yellow paste. Add water, a tablespoon at a time, if the paste is too dry.

3. Step 3

   To make the spice mix, dry-roast the spices slowly in a small heavy-based saucepan or wok over medium heat until toasted and fragrant. When cool, grind with the peppercorns and salt in a spice or coffee grinder. Stir the spice mix into the paste and mix thoroughly to combine.

4. Step 4

   To poach the chicken, add coconut milk, stock, makrut leaves, fish sauce, oyster sauce and palm sugar to a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Taste and season, using sugar and fish sauce as required to balance. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken, then reduce heat to low and gently simmer until the chicken is just cooked through.

5. Step 5

   In a separate large high-sided pan, cook the paste and coconut oil until fragrant. Transfer chicken and poaching liquid to the paste. Simmer, stirring regularly, until the mixture begins to thicken and has reduced by at least a quarter. Stir through the cornflour slurry until fully incorporated and the sauce thickens and generously coats the back of a spoon. Add the roasted pumpkin and stir gently.

6. Step 6

   Grease six 150ml pie tins. Cut six 15cm rounds from shortcrust pastry and six 12cm rounds from puff pastry. Press the shortcrust rounds into pie tins and trim the excess pastry. Divide the chicken mixture between pie tins, brush the edges with the egg wash, then top with puff pastry rounds, pressing the edges together firmly. Brush the top of the pies with egg wash, cut small slits in tops and scatter with salt flakes. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, then bake until golden and pastry is cooked (about 40 minutes).

7. Step 7

   Meanwhile, make the cucumber quick pickle. To make the pickling liquid, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, water and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat when the sugar dissolves and allow to cool. It should taste both sour and sweet.

8. Step 8

   Place the ginger, finely sliced eschalots, and thinly sliced red chilli in a small bowl. Leaving the skin on the cucumber, slice lengthways into quarters. Remove the seeds from the centre. Slice the cucumber at an angle into 5cm dice and mix with the julienned ginger and sliced eschalots and chillies.

9. Step 9

   Pour the pickling liquid over the cucumber mixture and stir gently to combine. Serve at room temperature alongside or on top of the hot pies.