Kachori is a spicy snack common in Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat and Utter Pradesh and also in Pakistan. It has flaky, crispy outer covering and filling made of dal, peas, or onion making it really tasty. It was a new dish to me. Srivalli suggested kachori for this month Indian cooking challenge. I was not sure how it is going to turn out in terms of taste, because I had not seen or eaten this dish. However I had recently succeeded in making moong dal halwa so I thought, why not, I can make this one also. With the help of my Google friend, I started looking for pictures and videos of kachori’s. I came to know that there two kinds of kachori’s one is flattened version common in Rajasthan and Utter Pradesh, where as in Gujarat it is round. I made flattened version, since it is easy to assemble.
Initially I thought of making only khasta kachori, with moong dal for which I soaked dal and after 1 hour ground to make a coarse powder. However I end up grinding them too fine which I thought would result in compromised taste, so to be on the safe side, I decide to make a second set of kachori with onion filling. In the end result both kachori‘s tasted good. My feeling after tasting the kachori was that the filling amount given in the recipe was slightly less, so the next time when I make I will try to double the amount of filling.This kachori’s are going to be in our kitchen menu more often.
What you need
Adapted from Medhaa's Aunty and Tarla Dalal
For the Dough
All purpose flour / Maida - 2 cups
Canola oil/Ghee - ¼ cup
Salt - ½ teaspoon
Chilled Water for kneading
Fillings
Khasta Kachori - Moong Dal Kachori
Split Moong Dal (yellow) - ½ cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Hing / Asafoetida – ⅛ teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 2 teaspoon chopped fine (I didn't used as i have none)
Green Chilli - Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon
Saunf / Fennel seeds powder - 1 teaspoon
Garam Masala - ½ teaspoon
Red Chili powder - ½ teaspoon
Mango powder / Amchur - 1 teaspoon ( I used ¼ teaspoon)
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Salt : ¼ teaspoon or to taste
Pyaj Ki Kachori/Onion Kachori
For the onion filling
Onions: 2cup (finely Chopped)
Nigella seeds/Kalonji: 1 teaspoon ( I used one teaspoon)
Fennel seeds/saunf: 2 teaspoon (I used one teaspoon)
Bay leaves: 2
Green chilies: 1 ½ teaspoon ( finely chopped)
Bengal gram flour /Besan: 2 tablespoon
Coriander/Dhania powder: 2 teaspoon (I used 1 teaspoon)
Chili powder: 2 teaspoon ( I used ½ teaspoon)
Gram masala: 1 teaspoon (I used ½ teaspoon
Coriander leaves: 3 tablespoon( Chopped finely)
Oil: 2 tablespoon
salt to taste
How I made
Dough
Mix the flour and salt, Add the oil/ghee and mix till you get a bread crumbs texture.
Slowly add Chilled water to this mixture and make soft dough. Knead well for about 8 minutes.
Cover and keep aside to rest for at least half hour.
Filling : Moong dal
Wash and Soak dal in water for at least 1 hour. You can go upto 4 hours not more.
Drain the water well.Grind the dal to a coarsely. (Will resemble Idli Rawa, I end up grinding very fine)
Heat oil in a pan.Add the hing and cumin seeds.Once the seeds splutter add the curry leaves.Add the dal.
Lower the heat and keep stirring for 5 minutes till the dal stops sticking to the pan.
Cook for another 10 minutes on low till the dal turns slightly brown.Add all the masalas.
Cook for few minutes till the aroma of the spices hit you.Add Salt.
Remove from heat and keep aside to cool.
Onion filling
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the nigella seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaves, green chilies and onions and sauté till the onions turn light brown in color.
Add the gram flour, coriander powder, chili powder, garam masala and salt and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the chopped coriander and mix well. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Allow the mixture to cool completely.
Divide into 15 equal portions and keep aside.
To Make Kachori's
Make a small ball from the dough. Roll out into a 2 inch diameter rounds . Flatten the rounds using your fingers having the center thick and sides little thin.Place about 1.5 teaspoon of the filling in the center of the rolled dough.
Cover the filling with the dough by slowly stretching it over the filling. Seal the ends and remove excess dough. Repeat with all the balls and keep aside for 5 -7 mins.
Then using your palm, flatten the balls by lightly pressing it, as using the rolling pin will make the filling come out. (See notes below). Keep aside covered. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Meanwhile heat some oil for deep frying. The oil should not become smoking hot. Test to see if the temperature is right by dropping a tiny ball of dough and see if it is rising slowly to the top.
Drop the kachoris in batches of 3-4 gently into the oil. It should rise up slowly. If you don't want to use lot of oil, use just enough for two or three at a time and fry them.After it rises up (about 2 minutes), turn it over.
Cook for about 6 to 10 minutes till the side down gets a golden brown color.
Turn and cook the other side for another 6 minutes or till its golden brown in color.
Remove when done, cool and store in airtight container.
Serve with coriander chutney and tamarind chutney.
Moong dal Kachori.
After having a bite
Onion kachori looks like this
Special Tips / Notes for the dough:
Keep the dough covered at all times, if not it will dry up and not puff up when frying. If the dough is made right wet cloth can be used if not just a towel.
The dough could spring back for many reasons:
Dough is too cold (If wet cloth is used)
Dough is not soft enough.
Not needed for enough time.
Oil is less.
Not rested enough.
Special Tips / Notes for the filling:
The fillings have to be really dry if not when rolling they will ooze out when rolling.
Adjust the masalas according to your taste. What is given in this recipe is spicy to the extent one can still enjoy.
For idea on pressing the filled kachori, check out Manjula's method. If you try to press out using a rolling pin, the filling may come out and make holes in the kachori.
Fry the kachori's on medium low to get a crisp outer layer that is the key. For people using electric stove, the numbers can be going from 6 to 4.
Special Tips / Notes for making the Kachoris:
You can fry 3 kachori's at a time.
The oil should be at a heat when you drop some dough it should come up slowly, if the dough comes up too fast the oil is too hot, if it does not come up then the oil is cold.
It will not be crisp if the oil is too hot.
Resting Time for the Dough is app ½ hr - 1 hr. ( I kept my dough for ½ hr).
Frying time for the Kachoris - 20 minutes for each batch app.
Soaking Time for the Filling is app. 1 hr
Cooking Time for the Filling is app 15 minutes
Yields - 15
Verdict: Yummy
Will you make it again: I will
Swathi
This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
SathyaSridhar says
Nice kachoris,,, i like it very much. i do try ur version of kachoris once soon.
Swapna Sree says
Woooww!!!kachoris looks so crispy and yummy...
first time here,,you have a nice blog
http://swapnasridhar.blogspot.com/
Swathi says
My spicy kitchen,Deepa thank you guys.
Ramya: no problem glad you liked the kachori and my bread try it some time.
Anjum,Sushma, Deepa,Tina and Arundhuti thanks guys.
Medhha: you may correct depending upon how much filling you need. i enjoyed making them.
Srivalli thanks for challenge and visiting
Shahana, Jagruti, Subhashini, Nisha and Nithu thank you guys.
Priya, thanks for visiting. In aviyal. you can use either tamarind, curd or raw mango. it is not necessary to use all these.
Lebouffe, thanks for visiting and sharing award with me.
Magia da Inês thanks for visiting the blog.
Preeti i am happy that my kachori look closer to authentic as i have seen them or eaten them earlier. thanks for visiting.
Preeti Kashyap says
These look Perfect! I simply love them. The perfect katchoris shdn't have boils on the surface and you have none!
Magia da Inês says
Olá, amiga!
Conheci seu cantinho e amei!...
Seu trabalho é tudo de bom... lindo, nutritivo e delicioso!!!
Você é muito talentosa!
Beijinhos.
Um ótimo dia!!!
Itabira - Brasil
Lebouffe says
Yummy kachori, got some awards for you at http://le-bouffe.blogspot.com/2010/02/more-awards.html. Do pick them up!
Priya Narasimhan says
Kachoris look awesome Swathi..Thanks for visiting my blog. True that tempering is not done for avial. :-)My MIL too said that when I was tempering..Do we need to add raw mango for avial???
Nithu Bala says
Crispy and yummy Kachoris Dear...
Nisha says
Your kachoris look perfect too. I too enjoyed making them.
Subhashini says
Very nice.I love kachori to grab with sweet curd.
Regards
Subhashini
Jagruti says
Kachori looks yum and tasty!!!
shahana says
kachori looks perfect and it is tempting me dear!!
Srivalli says
Swathi, kachoris look great..thanks for joining!
Medhaa says
Hi I am glad you tried these. I actually had some filling left over. I guess it all depends on how much we fill it in. Thanks for participating
Arundhuti says
kachoris look delicious dear.
Tina says
Perfect and delicious kachori....
Deepa G Joshi says
hey these have come out so well..perfect for tea time snack..could munch in some..totally delicious..
http://www.foodlyrics.com
Sushma Mallya says
simply awesome and perfect kachoris....Nice tips as well...will surely keep that in mind while doing kachori next time...
Anjum says
Yummy kachoris.Wanting to eat them right away...
Ramya Vijaykumar says
Hey Swathi, the Kachoris are looking super duper crispy and yummy!!! Love to grab a few... I missed your coconut, white chocolate bread mmm that looke very filling!!!
http://memoryarchieved.blogspot.com
Hamaree Rasoi says
Hi Swathi,
Your kachori looks delicious and fulfilling. This looks better and shuld also be tastier than conventional khasta kachori.
Deepa
myspicykitchen says
indeed yummy!