Golden Baked Curry Parcels

There’s a special kind of comfort found in a warm, savory pastry, especially one made right at home. Pictured here is a delightful meal: a tender pastry parcel, baked until golden and topped with bubbly, browned cheese. Breaking it open reveals a vibrant, aromatic curry filling, packed with sweet potatoes, chicken, peas, and chickpeas. This recipe guides beginner cooks through each step of preparing these hearty and satisfying curry parcels, a perfect dish for a cozy dinner. The process is straightforward, and the result is a wonderfully flavorful meal that brings a deep sense of accomplishment.

What You’ll Need

Here are the tools and ingredients required to assemble these delicious parcels.

Kitchen Equipment

• 🔪 Chef’s knife
• 🧱 Cutting board
• 🍳 Large skillet or pan
• 🥄 Wooden spoon or spatula
• 🥣 Mixing bowls
• 🖌️ Pastry brush
• 📄 Baking sheet
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

• 🫒 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 🧅 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 🧄 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 🌶️ 1-inch piece of ginger, grated or minced
• 🍗 1 lb (450g) halal boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 🍠 1 large sweet potato (about 1 lb/450g), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 🍛 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 🧡 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 🤎 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 🧂 Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 🍲 ½ cup (120ml) chicken or vegetable broth
• 🥫 1 can (15 oz / 425g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 🫛 1 cup (150g) frozen peas
• 📜 1 package (16 oz / 450g) phyllo dough, thawed
• 🧈 ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
• 🧀 1 cup (100g) shredded halal cheddar cheese

Putting It All Together: Step-by-Step

Following these instructions carefully will lead to perfectly baked curry parcels just like the one in the picture.

Part 1: Preparing the Flavorful Curry Filling

The heart of this dish is its rich and savory filling. Giving it time to cool is a very important step, as a hot filling will make the pastry dough soft and difficult to work with.

1. Begin with the prep work. The onion should be diced, which means cut into small, even squares. The garlic and ginger are to be minced, meaning chopped into very tiny, fine pieces. The chicken and sweet potato should be cut into uniform ½-inch cubes to ensure they cook evenly.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until it softens and becomes translucent, which usually takes about 5-7 minutes. This gentle cooking process is called sautéing, and it builds a sweet, flavorful base.
3. Add the minced garlic and ginger to the skillet, stirring for about one minute until fragrant. Next, add the cubed chicken. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, until it is lightly browned on all sides.
4. Sprinkle the curry powder, turmeric, and cumin over the chicken. Stir continuously for one minute. This step, sometimes called “blooming,” toasts the spices lightly and deepens their flavor.
5. Add the cubed sweet potato, chicken broth, salt, and pepper to the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer—where small bubbles gently break the surface—then reduce the heat, cover the skillet, and let it cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
6. If there is a lot of excess liquid in the pan, remove the lid and let the sauce reduce and thicken for a few minutes. The filling should be moist, not watery.
7. Stir in the rinsed chickpeas and frozen peas, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the peas are bright green and heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the filling to a bowl to cool down completely.

Part 2: Assembling the Parcels

Working with phyllo dough is easier than it seems! The key is to keep the sheets from drying out.

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Unroll the thawed phyllo dough onto a clean, dry surface. To prevent the sheets from becoming brittle, immediately cover the stack with a piece of plastic wrap and then a slightly damp kitchen towel.
3. Take one sheet of phyllo and place it on your work surface. Lightly brush the entire surface with melted butter. Place another sheet directly on top and brush it with butter. Repeat this process until there is a stack of four buttered layers.
4. Spoon about one-sixth of the cooled curry filling onto one half of the phyllo stack, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.
5. Fold the empty half of the phyllo over the filling to form a rectangular or semi-circular parcel. Gently press down on the edges to seal them.
6. Carefully transfer the finished parcel to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining phyllo and filling to form about six parcels in total.

Part 3: Baking to Golden Perfection

This final step is where the magic happens, resulting in the beautiful, golden-brown crust shown in the photograph.

1. Brush the tops of each parcel with the remaining melted butter.
2. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of each parcel. The cheese is what gives the finished dish its bubbly, browned surface with those appealing darker spots.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the phyllo pastry is deep golden brown and crisp, and the cheese is completely melted and bubbling.
4. Let the parcels cool for a few minutes before serving. They are best enjoyed warm, straight from the oven.

The satisfaction of pulling these gorgeous, homemade parcels from the oven is immense. Anyone who tries this recipe is encouraged to share a photo of their beautiful, golden-baked results.