Description
These Empanada-style Sri Lankan fish patties combine a flaky coconut milk pastry with a fragrant spiced fish and potato filling. Deep-fried until golden and crisp, they are served with a flavorful curry aïoli that balances the spices perfectly. A delicious fusion snack or appetizer inspired by Sri Lankan and Latin American flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 100g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 egg yolk, beaten
- 80ml coconut milk
Filling
- 125g potatoes (1 medium-large potato)
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 1½ garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp cumin
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 150g canned mackerel or tuna, drained
- ¼ small bunch of dill, finely chopped
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ¼ lime, juiced
For Frying
- 500ml rapeseed oil, for deep-frying
Curry Aïoli
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp curry powder
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
Instructions
- Make the pastry: In a large mixing bowl, combine the plain flour and salt. Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter and rub it into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the beaten egg yolk, then slowly pour in the coconut milk while kneading gently until the dough just comes together. If necessary, add a little extra flour or water to achieve the right consistency. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Cook the potato: Place a pan of water on to boil. Peel the potato and chop into 1cm cubes. Add the potato cubes to the boiling water and simmer over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain and leave to cool.
- Prepare the filling: Heat 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, garlic, and ginger, cooking gently for about 8 minutes until golden and fragrant. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and black pepper, and cook for an additional minute to release the spices’ aroma. Add the canned fish and chopped dill to the pan, cooking for 2-3 minutes to warm through. Mix in the cooked potato cubes and salt, cooking everything together for 2 more minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the lime juice, and let the filling cool.
- Roll out the pastry and cut circles: Divide the chilled pastry into two halves. On a floured surface, roll out one half to a thickness of 3mm. Using a 7cm pastry cutter, cut out 8 circles. Re-roll any leftover pastry and continue cutting out circles until all the dough is used, yielding about 26-28 circles in total.
- Assemble the empanadas: Place about 1 teaspoon of the cooled fish filling onto the center of each pastry circle. Brush the edges of the pastry circles with the beaten egg white using a small pastry brush. Fold each circle in half to form a half-moon shape, pressing the edges together, then seal by pressing down along the edges with a fork to ensure they are fully closed.
- Deep-fry the patties: Pour 500ml of rapeseed oil into a saucepan, filling it no more than two-thirds full. Heat the oil to 180°C (do this by testing if a small piece of pastry sizzles and rises to the surface immediately). Carefully add the empanadas in small batches and deep-fry for 2-4 minutes, turning halfway through to ensure even golden coloring. Remove the fried patties with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
- Make the curry aïoli: In a small mixing bowl, combine the crushed garlic, lemon juice, curry powder, and mayonnaise. Mix well until smooth. Serve the spicy curry aïoli alongside the warm empanadas.
Notes
- Ensure the pastry dough is well chilled before rolling to make it easier to handle and produce a crisp texture when fried.
- Choose a firm potato variety for the filling to hold shape after cooking.
- Adjust the level of spices in the filling according to your taste preference.
- If you don’t have a pastry cutter, use the rim of a drinking glass to cut circles.
- Deep-frying temperature is important to avoid greasy patties; use a thermometer if possible.
- Leftover empanadas can be reheated in a hot oven to restore crispness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Deep Frying
- Cuisine: Sri Lankan Fusion
Keywords: empanadas, Sri Lankan fish patties, curry aïoli, deep-fried fish snacks, coconut milk pastry, spiced fish filling
