Khasta Kachori, ICC for Jan' 2010

The Indian Cooking Challenge for Jan 2010 is Khasta Kachori, an all time favouroite savoury snack. Srivalli came up with this snack after discussing with Medhaa who suggested to prepare tasty Kachoris and provided authentic recipe combining that of her aunt and Tarla Dalal.

Kachoris are a speciality in Northern and Western India (including Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh), but even then they occupy heart of every Indian. Kachoris are often served with a chutney, made from tamarind, mint / coriander and sometimes accompanied with a curry made of spicy potatoes and chickpeas (chana / chhole)....

Sri stated three different fillings: Moong Dal Filling, Peas Filling and Onion Filling. I prepared kachori with all the filling and all of them were perfect. The dough is same for all the fillings.

You can catch the step by step procedures below. I could manage to take the photos with the green peas filling only...

Recipe:
Resting time for the dough: 1/2 hour - 1 hour approx
Frying time for the Kachoris: 20 mins for each batch approx
Soaking time for the filling: 1 hour approx
Cooking time for the filling: 15 minutes approx
Yields - 15

For the Dough
Ingredients:

• All purpose flour / Maida: 2 cups
• White Oil / Ghee: 1/4 cup
• Salt: 1/2 tsp
• Water for kneading

Method:

1. Mix the flour and salt, add oil / ghee and mix till you get a bread crumbs texture.
2. Slowly add water and knead thoroughly to make a soft and smooth dough. Knead well for about 8 minutes.
3. Cover with a moist cloth and keep aside to rest for atleast half hour (or else it will dry up and not puff up when frying)

Fillings:

Khasta Kachori - Moong Dal Kachori
Ingredients:

• Split Moong Dal (yellow): 1/2 cup
• Cumin Seeds / Jeera: 1 tsp
• Hing / Asafoetida: a pinch
• Curry Leaves, finely chopped: 2 tsp
• Green Chilli & Ginger paste: 1 tsp
• Sauf / Fennel seeds powder: 1 tsp
• Garam Masala: 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
• Mango powder / Amchur: 1 tsp
• Oil: 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and Soak dal in water for 1 - 4 hours. Drain water and grind the dal to a coarsely mixture.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add the hing and cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add the curry leaves and then add the dal.
3. Lower the heat and keep stirring for 5 minutes till the dal stops sticking to the pan.
4. Cook for another 10 minutes on low till the dal turns slightly brown. Add all the masalas.
5. Cook for few minutes till the aroma of the spices hit you. Add Salt.
6. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool.

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 as per your taste.
• If you try to press out using a rolling pin, the filling may come out and make holes in the kachori. So it will have to be just pressed out using your palm.
• Fry the kachoris on medium low to get a crisp outer layer.

Mattar Ki Kachori from Tarla Dalal:
Green Peas filling - Ingredients:

• Green peas, shelled: 2 cups
• Green chillies, chopped: 1 tsp
• Ginger, grated: 1 tsp
• Nigella seeds / Kalonji: 1/2 tsp
• Fennel seeds / Saunf: 2 tsp Bay Leaves: 2
• Red Chilli powder: 1 gtsp
• Garam Masala: 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves finely chopped: 4 tbsp
• Oil: 2
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Coarsely grind the green peas,green chillies and ginger in a blender without using any water. Keep aside.
2. Heat the oil in a pan,add the nigella seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaves and ground green pea mixture and saute over a very slow flame for 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the chilli powder, garam masala, coriander and salt and saute for 2 more minutes.
4. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Divide into 12 equal portions.

Pyaz ki Kachori
Onion filling - Ingredients:

• 2 cups onions, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds (saunf)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1½ teaspoons green chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Bengal gram flour (besan)
• 2 teaspoons coriander (dhania) powder
• 2 teaspoons chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 3 tablespoons chopped coriander
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the nigella seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaves, green chillies and onions and sauté till the onions turn light brown in colour.
2. Add the gram flour, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala and salt and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the chopped coriander and mix well. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Allow the mixture to cool completely. Divide into 12 equal portions and keep aside.
   

Method to make Kachoris:

1. Make a small ball from the dough. Roll out into a 2 inch diameter circle or flatten the ball using your fingers having the center thick and sides little thin. Place about 1.5 tsp of the filling in the center of the rolled dough.
2. 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.
3. Flatten the balls by lightly pressing it with your palm. Cover and keep aside. Repeat with the remaining dough.
4. Heat 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).
5. Drop the kachoris in batches of 3-4 gently into the oil. It should rise up slowly. After they rise up, turn them over. Cook till the side down gets a golden brown color.
6. Turn again and cook the other side till the kachoris are golden brown in color. (The whole process requires 18-20 mins atleast). Remove from fire and soak the excess oil in a tissue paper. Cool and store in an airtight container.
7. Serve with coriander chutney and tamarind chutney. Enjoy!!!!