Khasta Kachori

Khasta Kachori -

Khasta Kachori is a delicious, spicy, fried puff pastry. Kachoris are great as an appetizer or as part of a festive meal for any occasion.

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 cup All Purpose flour (plain flour or maida)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 cup chilled water more or less as needed

Filling:

1/4 cup yellow moong dal (available Indian grocery stores)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds coarsely grinded (saunf)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds coarsely grinded (dhania)
1 teaspoon red chilly flakes
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon mango powder (amchoor)
Pinch of asafetida (hing)
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to your taste)
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons water
Oil to deep fry

Method:

To make crust:

Mix the flour, salt and oil.
Add the chilled water slowly, mixing with your fingers as you pour.
Do not knead the dough. The dough should be soft.
Cover the dough and let it sit for at least fifteen minutes.

To make filling:

Grind the moong dal dry, almost to a powder.
Mix one tablespoon of oil to the ground dal in a frying pan and roast over medium heat for about two to three minutes or until dal changes color slightly. Stir continuously.
Turn off the heat. Add all the spices mix well. Let the mixture cool off.
Add two tablespoons of warm water and mix it well. Let it sit for ten minutes and cover with demp cloth.

To make the Kachoris:

Take the dough and knead it for a minutes. Divide the dough in twelve equal parts.
Take one part of the dough and with your fingers flatten the edges and make into 3-inch circle. Leaving center little thicker then edges.
Mold the dough into a cup and place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center. Pull the edges of the dough to wrap the dal filling. Proceed to make all 12 balls.
Let the filled ball sit for three to four minutes before rolling.
Set the kachoris on a surface with the seams facing up. Using the base of your palm, slowly flatten them into about three inches in diameter.
Heat the oil in frying pan over medium heat frying pan should have about one inch of oil.  To check if oil is ready put a little piece of dough in the oil. Dough should sizzle, and come up very slow.
Fry them on medium-low heat. After they start to puff, slowly turn them over. Fry until golden-brown on both sides. If the kachoris are fried on high heat, they will get soft and will not be crispy.
Kachories can be stored for at least a week in an airtight container

Tips:

Don’t roll the kachoris with a rolling pin. Rolling pins can create small holes in the dough
that let the oil seep into the kachoris, and they can also cause the kachoris
to come out with one side thicker than the other.

Variation: 

Instead of using moong dal, you can use washed urad dal or chana dal. The rest of the recipe stays the same.

Serving suggestions:

Kachoris can be served plain, with Tamarind Chutneys, chola, or with Aloo Dum, Serve them as a chat, pouring plain yogurt and chutney on top.

Raj Kachori Chaat

Raj Kachori Chaat -

Raj Kachori Chaat is a spicy chaat bowl filled with delicious condiments. It has refreshing flavors and makes for a unique food experience. Guests will have fun filling their own Kachories according to their taste palette. Served as a snack or appetizer, Raj Kachories make a beautiful presentation and are thoroughly enjoyed by just about everyone.

Ingredients:

Kachori Dough:

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Approximately ½ cup lukewarm rater

Kachori Filling:

1/3 cup Gram Flour (besan)
Pinch of asafetida
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon mango powder
1 tablespoon oil

Condiments to be served Kachories:

1 cup moong sprouts
1 cup boiled potato cut into small pieces
1 cup whipped yogurt
1/4 cup Hari Cilantro Chutney
1/4 cup Tamarind Chutney
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional)
2 green chilies finely chopped (optional)
1/4 cup fine sev available in Indian grocery store (optional)

Method:

Dough:

In a mixing bowl add all purpose flour, salt and oil; add water slowly while mixing and kneading to make firm, yet pliable dough.
Cover and set dough aside for at least 10 minutes.
Mix Kachori filling ingredients together, i.e. gram flour, asafetida, salt, chili flakes, mango powder and oil. Set aside.

Making Kachori:

Knead dough for a minute and divide into 12 equal parts.
Roll dough ball into a 2-inch diameter circle and place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center. Seal by pulling the edges together to make a ball. Prepare all 12 kachories and let sit for 3 to 4 minutes.
Place a filled kachori with the seam side up, onto a clean surface. Using a rolling pin roll into a circle, approximately 3 inches in diameter.
Heat approx. 1 ½ inches of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. To check if oil is ready, put a little piece of dough into the oil and it should immediately rise to the surface without having changed it’s color.
Slowly drop kachories into the frying pan making sure they don’t overlap one another. As kachories puff up, slowly turn them over and fry on all sides. Turn kachories 3-4 times until they are golden brown in color, which will take about 7 minutes. Kachories should be crisp. If the kachories are fried over high heat they will be too soft.

Prepare Moong Sprouts:

Add ¼ teaspoon of salt and 2-3 tablespoons of water to the moong sprouts. Cover and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes till sprouts are tender. Set aside.

Serving Kachories:

Gently make an inch sized hole in the center of the kachori.
Fill with 1 tablespoon of sprouts, 1 tablespoon of potatoes, 2 tablespoons of yogurt and a drizzle with both of the 2 chutneys.
As an option, add a little cilantro, green chili and 1 tablespoon of fine Sev. These add a little more texture and flavor to the Kachori.

Tip:

These Raj Kachories can be prepared in advance and stored up to 2 weeks in an air tight container, making it more convenient to serve. It is even easier if you have the Hari Cilantro and Tamarind chutneys previously stored.