Japanese Curry Carrots in a Blanket
These little carrot nuggets lean hard into a retro vibe with a plant-based twist. Roast the carrots first so they’re soft and easy to bite, and then wrap them in puff pastry and bake. We added a little bit of red wine vinegar for a sweet and sour contrast. You could use a milder vinegar, like rice or champagne vinegar, but everything in this dish is so sweet we thought some bolder acidity would be fun.
Carrots should ideally be about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch wide; wider carrots are too big for the cut squares of puff pastry. If all you have is big carrots, cut them into quarters if necessary. Remember to take puff pastry from the freezer a few hours before cooking, so it can evenly thaw. Assembly can be a little fussy, but once everything is laid out you’ll find the rhythm. Serve with a sour cream or kewpie mayonnaise dipping sauce mixed with Japanese Curry Powder for an even more satisfying bite.
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Japanese Curry Powder, divided, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
7 or 8 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into 24, 2-3 inch pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon water
All purpose flour for dusting work surface
1, 8 ounce puff pastry sheet, thawed
2-3 Tablespoons sour cream plus 1/4 cup sour cream, divided
Kosher Salt or flaky salt, to taste
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk olive oil, honey, Japanese Curry Powder, and red wine vinegar together. Toss spice mixture with chunked carrots and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the oven until tender and fragrant, approximately 25 minutes.
2. Take carrots out and let them cool completely.
3. Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Set aside.
4. Dust your work surface with all-purpose flour, then roll out thawed puff pastry. If you can, roll it on a chilled marble slab to help keep the puff pastry from getting too sticky. Roll it until it measures roughly 10x15 inches; use a pizza cutter to trim off ragged edges.
5. Measure out 2-3 Tablespoons sour cream, depending on taste, and use a pastry brush or offset spatula to spread sour cream all over the puff pastry.
6. Use a pizza cutter to cut puff pastry into 24 equal squares. Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Assemble ingredients in a line; egg wash, pastry, carrots, prepared baking sheet.
8. Dip a pastry brush in the egg wash, and brush one edge of a puff pastry square.
9. Take a piece of roasted carrot and, starting from the other end, roll pastry around the carrot until it comes together with the side with the egg wash. Press it together. Use a small knife to trim off any pastry ends if they hang over the carrots. Place on the baking sheet, seam side down.
10. When all carrots are rolled, place the entire baking sheet in the freezer for 5-10 minutes, until the pastry has firmed back up around the carrots.
11. While carrots finish setting up, make sure oven is at 375°F.
12. Remove carrots from freezer. Cut 2-3 shallow vents in the top of the puff pastry. Brush with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with more Japanese Curry Powder and some Kosher Salt.
13. Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking once halfway through to rotate pan, if necessary. Remove when pastry is puffed and golden.
14. While pastry bakes, mix 1/4 cup sour cream with 1 teaspoon Japanese Curry Powder for the dipping sauce.
15. Serve Japanese Curry Carrots in a Blanket with sour cream dip.