This Indonesian-style Vegetable Pastel is enclosed in a pastry exterior, filled with savory vegetarian filling, and then fried until crisp and golden brown. They are perfect for breakfast, appetizers, or as a snack.
Soak dried vermicelli – In a large bowl, soak dried vermicelli noodles in hot water for about 3 minutes to soften them. Drain the water. Set aside.
Cook the vegetables – In a large frying pan, heat oil on medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and stir fry until fragrant. Add carrots and cook until they are half-cooked. Add potatoes, water, salt, granulated sugar, chicken bouillon powder, and ground white pepper. Cook until the carrots and potatoes are cooked and the water is evaporated. You may add more water if the bottom starts to get sticky.
Add the soaked vermicelli noodles and mix until well combined. Add celery and scallions. Mix until combined. Turn off the heat and cool completely before using.
Skin
Make the dough – In a large bowl, mix all-purpose flour and salt until combined. Add margarine and mix slightly. Gradually add warm water and mix until the dough forms.
Knead the dough until smooth with your hands.
Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Assemble
Divide the dough into 25-28 even pieces or about 30gr each. Roll into balls.
Roll thinly – Place a ball on the working surface. Roll thinly with a rolling pin into a 5-inch/12cm round diameter.
Add filling and shape – Place 1 tbsp filling and 1 slice of hard-boiled egg on the rolled dough. Fold and pinch the edges. Pleat the edges with your thumb. Continue with the rest of the dough and filling.
Fry pastel – In a large frying pan, heat oil enough for deep frying on low-medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add 3-4 pastels in a batch. Fry until both sides are lightly golden brown. Remove from the oiland transfer to a cooling rack or paper towel-lined plate to remove the excess oil.
Serve warm or at room temperature. You can eat them plain or with peanut sauce.
Notes
How to store and freeze pastel:
Raw – Wrap and shape the pastels per instructions. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or plastic, not touching each other. After they are frozen, you can transfer them into a freezer-friendly ziplock bag or airtight container.
Half-Cooked – Deep-fry the raw pastels in oil just until half-cooked. The skin should still be pale white. Remove from the oil and cool completely before transferring them into a freezer-friendly airtight container.
You can store pastels in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before serving, do not thaw and fry them frozen. Fry on low-medium heat. Do not use high heat or else when the skin is already golden brown, the inside is still cold.How to make vegan pastel:
Substitute chicken bouillon powder with mushroom bouillon