Flaky, tasty, and bursting with Indian flavors, these spiced egg puffs are really special. Keep things simple by using ready-made pastry sheets. After that, you basically just combine the ingredients and add them to the pastry before baking the egg puffs.
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Twenty minutes later your kitchen will smell wonderfully exotic and you can enjoy the most delicious savory egg puffs which are perfect served warm from the oven.
These delicious pastry egg puffs hail from Kerala, South India, where bakeries sell them in the evenings. They are also nice for lunch or as a snack. The combination of spices complements the egg flavor really well, so if you’re in the mood to prepare something deliciously different, try these Indian egg puffs.
These lemon Danishes and my cinnamon twists are another two of my favorite recipes to make with puff pastry. They are so delicious and everyone always loves them!
Main Ingredients
If you have pastry sheets and eggs, you’re halfway there. Perhaps you have some curry powder in the cupboard which would work in a pinch if you don’t have the separate Indian spices. Here are the key ingredients for this mouthwatering egg puffs recipe:
- Pastry sheet: To hold the egg masala filling. You can use your choice of homemade puff pastry or frozen puff pastry sheets which you need to thaw before use.
- Eggs: The star of the dish. Eggs are a great source of protein and an interesting alternative to meat and poultry. You need 3 hard-boiled eggs (I simmer mine for 12 minutes each) plus an egg white to brush on top of the pastries.
- Chili pepper: For adding spice. Now the great thing about making your own egg puffs is you can decide how spicy or mild you want them to be. Use any type of chili pepper you prefer. If you don’t have fresh chilies, a pinch of chili powder will work.
- Tomato sauce: For flavor and consistency. You will need a little liquid with the egg and spices to get the texture of the filling right. Use plain tomato sauce or passata (sieved tomatoes). Tomato and egg are always great together.
- Garam masala: To add complex flavors. Garam masala is handy to have in the cupboard because it’s so tasty. Ingredients differ from brand to brand, although cinnamon, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cloves, cardamom, mustard seeds, mace, and nutmeg are typical additions. Curry powder is similar but is milder and contains turmeric. You can use that instead though.
- Cilantro: For a fragrant touch. Cilantro, also known in some places as fresh coriander, has a light, fragrant flavor. I really love it and often add extra when making Indian recipes!
Instructions Overview
Don’t worry if you’re new to making Indian food. These egg puffs are incredibly simple to prepare. The first thing to do is thaw the puff pastry (unless you’re making your own in which case kudos to you!) Sauté the onion, chili, and coconut oil then add the spices.
Mix in the tomato sauce, salt and water and cook until the liquid evaporates. Cut the thawed pastry into pieces and divide the filling between them, adding the cilantro on top and then the hard-boiled egg slices.
Now seal them using your fingers and brush egg white on top. Bake them for 20 minutes in the oven or until golden brown and serve warm!
Common Questions
Although both these ingredients are used to add color and flavor to dishes, curry powder has turmeric which makes it bright yellow and makes dishes bright yellow too. Garam masala doesn't contain this ingredient. Also, curry is typically used in savory dishes while garam masala has a place in both savory and sweet recipes. It features in some cookie recipes and even apple crisp.
This spice mix adds not only flavor but also aroma, so if you add it too soon some of the aroma will disappear. You can always sprinkle a little more on the top of the finished recipe though!
You have a choice here. You can either reheat them in the oven or the microwave. I'd recommend the oven if you have time. About 10 minutes at 400°F should be good for an oven or toaster oven. If you're in a rush though, warm them up in 20 second increments. The oven method is the best since that helps keep the pastry crispy. It might get a bit soft in the microwave.
In India these delicious little snacks are enjoyed with chili sauce or tomato sauce, so you might like to try one of those. On the other hand, if you aren't interested in a sauce, these are also wonderful just as they are.
These are great with tomato sauce or chili sauce for dipping. In India, they are typically served with hot tea or coffee. I’d also suggest napkins since the pastry makes a lot of crumbs!
Once fully cooled, keep the puffs in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
You can freeze puffs for up to a month. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap first, then thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
These are best when served hot from the oven but will be fine for a few hours or overnight. After a day they are still good but will be softer. You can reheat them in a hot oven for 5 minutes to crisp them back up again.
Yes, and it’s handy to always have puff pastry sheets to hand because there are many recipes you can make with them. If you’re working with frozen pastry, you can let it thaw on the countertop for an hour or in the refrigerator overnight.
Chopnotch Tips
- These come out perfectly crispy as long as the oven is nice and hot, so turn on both heating filaments at the top of the oven plus the heat from the bottom and make sure it’s reached 400°F before starting to bake them.
- An egg slicer is a useful kitchen gadget, allowing you to cut eggs into perfect, even slices in about 3 seconds!
- If you don’t have a spare egg white, brush melted butter over the puffs instead.
- Every Southern Indian bakery seems to have its own version of these. Some add a whole boiled egg rather than adding it in slices. Why not try both ways?
Egg puffs are a beloved treat in the South of India. But that’s a long way to travel to try an authentic one! This easy recipe allows you to rustle up these aromatic snacks at home.
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Recipe
How to Make
Egg Puffs
Ingredients
- 1 pastry sheet, thawed
- 3 eggs, hard boiled
- 1 egg white
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 green chili pepper, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon coriander leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and set it aside.
- Add the chopped onion, green chili pepper, and coconut oil to a medium pan and sauté until the onions turn golden brown. Then mix in the turmeric powder, chili powder, pepper, and garam masala and let fry for no more than 5 seconds.
- Now turn the heat down to low, add the tomato sauce, and let cook for one minute. Then add the water and salt and sauté the mixture until it is dry. Now sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves on top and set aside.
- Roll the thawed pastry out onto a floured countertop and cut it into 6 square pieces. Equally divide the onion masala mixture onto each square. Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half and place one egg halve onto the top of each, and then seal them one-by-one using your fingers to create 6 puffs.
- Place each of the puffs onto the prepared baking pan, leaving space in-between. Beat the egg white in a small bowl and then brush it onto each of the prepared puffs.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- These come out perfectly crispy as long as the oven is nice and hot, so turn on both heating filaments at the top of the oven plus the heat from the bottom and make sure it’s reached 400°F before starting to bake them.
- An egg slicer is a useful kitchen gadget, allowing you to cut eggs into perfect, even slices in about 3 seconds!
- If you don’t have a spare egg white, brush melted butter over the puffs instead.
- Every Southern Indian bakery seems to have its own version of these. Some add a whole boiled egg rather than adding it in slices. Why not try both ways?
