Red Curry Salmon Pot Pie

with crispy puff pastry scales

Have You Eaten Yet? Here’s a new recipes from my kitchen to yours that I hope you’ll love! For more recipes, you can order my new cookbook, Chinese Enough, or purchase Mooncakes and Milk Bread for all things Chinese Baking!

I’m packing my bags again for another book tour stop, my last for the year actually! If you’re in Austin, I’ll see you at the Texas Book Festival on Saturday. I’ll be making SF Garlic Noodles and Beer & Lime Steamed Mussels from Chinese Enough on stage! I feel like I’ve been touring for what feels like a lifetime (I started in September) and while I’m sad that it is coming to an end, I’m also very much looking forward not traveling for a bit and spending some quality time at home. I miss my routine, like the weekly swims at the outdoor pool (before it gets cold and rainy), Monday grocery runs at Berkeley Bowl, takeout Fridays, and shopping the Temescal Farmers Market on the weekends. I haven’t had dim sum in so long…

This week’s Red Curry Salmon Pot Pie recipe is inspired by my favorite East Bay Farmers Market because there is one tent in particular that never fails me to bring a smile to my face. Pot Pie Paradise! Have you ever been or seen the adorable older Asian couple happily selling mini pot pies? They also have a brick and mortar location out in Hayward, but I always swing by the tent even if theres no room in my freezer to fit a mini pot pie. The owner, Theresia Gunawan, is from Indonesia and actually studied to be doctor but when she moved to States she couldn’t pursue medical further and focused on food instead.

The first time I went to the Temescal Farmers Market I was immediately drawn to the aura of Gunawan and her husband. Their happiness is really infectious! And then I looked at their menu of mini frozen pot pies and was impressed by their creativity. I took home a Beef Bulgogi Pot Pie right away, but went home thinking about the Indo Lamb, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Spicy Duck with Red Curry Pies. All the ones I’ve tried are stellar. I love when a classic vehicle, like a pot pie, gets some innovative flavor upgrades.

This Red Curry Salmon Pot Pie sort of tastes like a giant curry puff thanks to a crispy layer of puff pastry scales. The filling starts off much like a traditional pot pie, by sautéing a blend of aromatics and vegetables that you can swap in with whatever you have lingering in your fridge or pantry. I enjoyed the addition of carrots and bell peppers for sweetness but sweet potatoes or other hearty vegetables would be great too. A roux gets made to thicken the filling by adding some flour in with the curry paste and then you pour in full-fat coconut milk and some water to create the sauce. This is a much thicker consistency than if you were to make a thai curry to drape over rice, but I still like to season it the same way with some fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. No need to pre-cook the salmon before you add it into the curry. I actually prefer to allow the sauce to cool until warm before adding in the chunks of salmon and before adding the pastry topping. While in the oven the salmon will cook until very tender, without over cooking, and the pastry on top will puffy and be perfectly flaky.

Maybe for the holidays I’ll make mini versions of this to gift to friends! It’s a cozy pot pie that feels familiar and comforting but still new and special, my favorite kind of recipes!

Next week I’ll start sharing Thanksgiving recipes, so get ready!

Red Curry Salmon Pot Pie

Serves 4

Red Curry Salmon Pot Pie

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