Serve these tasty puffs wrm as they are, split and fill with one of the suggested fillings or use as a dipper with cucumber raita.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of your favourite curry paste
• 2 sheets frozen ready rolled puff pastry, defrosted
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
• ¼-½ cup sesame seeds
• beaten egg or milk to glaze

Method

1. Position the oven rack above the centre rung. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Lightly grease 1-2 baking trays or line with baking paper.
2. Spread the curry paste over one sheet of pastry. Sprinkle the cumin seeds evenly over the plate.
3. Place the second sheet of pastry on top and cut in half lengthwise. Then layer together again to make 4 layers of pastry.
4. Roll out on a lightly floured bench to make a 30x36cm rectangle. Using a biscuit cutter or any favourite shape, cut shapes approximately 5-cm in diameter and place on the prepared tray. Alternatively, cut into triangles.
5. Put the sesame seeds onto a saucer.
6. Brush the pastries with beaten egg or milk and place glazed-side down into the sesame seeds. Place onto the prepared tray, sesame seeds uppermost.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until well risen, golden brown and crisp. Serve warm.

Cooks Tips

Variations:

- If you don't have curry paste, spread the first pastry sheet with a little tomato paste or melted butter before sprinkling with curry powder.

- Use poppy, nigella or celery seeds

- Mango and shrimp filling: Spread each warm split puff with a little mayonnaise or sour cream and top with a small slice of mango, a few shrimps and season with chopped coriander.

- Avocado and coriander mash filling: Halve, strone, peel and coarsely mash 1 avocado. Stir in the grated rind of a lime or lemon and 1-2 tablespoons of chopped fresh coriander. Soften or increase the quantitiy, if wished, with sour cream. Split the warm puffs and sandwich with the avocado mash.

- Cucumber raita: Deseed and grate half a telegraph or a whole short cucumber and mix with 1 cup thick plain unsweetened yoghurt. Stir in 2 tablespoons each chopped fresh basil and mint. For pungency, add one chopped deseeded chilli and/or a garlic clove and serve as a dip.