Entree: Suriname – National Cuisine – Pastei (Savory Surinamese meat pie of spiced curried chicken baked in flaky pastry)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 30 min

Cook 30 min

Total 1 hr

Ingredients

- 1 package puff pastry sheets, 17.3 oz (490 g), thawed
- 1 lb (454 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 3–4 thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, about 6 oz (170 g), finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, about 6 g, minced
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) mild curry powder
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) ground cloves
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) tomato paste
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken stock
- 1/4 cup (40 g) golden raisins
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 egg, whole (for egg wash)
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced (for garnish, optional)

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and cloves and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring, until browned on the edges, about 6–8 minutes.
2. Mix in the tomato paste, chicken stock, raisins, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through and liquid is mostly reduced, about 8–10 minutes. Stir in chopped cilantro, remove from heat, and let the filling cool to lukewarm.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, unfold puff pastry and roll briefly to smooth. Cut into 4 (or 8 for smaller pies) equal rectangles or rounds.
4. Place a generous spoonful of the cooled filling in the center of each pastry piece, leaving a border. Top filling with a slice of hard-boiled egg if using. Fold pastry over to form pockets and crimp edges with a fork to seal.
5. Beat the egg and brush the tops of each pastei. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until pastry is golden and puffed, about 20–25 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.