Khasta daal kachori

Holi Special!

 

Ingredients for the dough:
Maida or all purpose flour- 400 gms,
Oil- 100 ml,

Salt- 1tsp.

Ingredients for the filling:
Washed urad daal- 70 gms- soaked overnight or 4 hours,
Hing- a pinch,
Cumin seeds- 1/4 tsp,
Coriander pwd- 1 tsp,
Cumin pwd- 1 tsp,
Fennel or sauf pwd- 1 tsp,
Garam masala pwd- 1/4 tsp,
Green chilli - 1 or 2,
Ginger- 1 inch- finely chopped,
Green coriander leaves- 2 tbsp,
Salt - 1/4 tsp,
Oil for frying.

Method:
Soak daal and then strain out the water.

Grind coarsely in the grinder without any water.

Keep aside.
Sieve flour and add salt.

Pour oil and mix  well.

Gradually add water and make a soft dough ( approximate water is 200 ml  )       

Cover with moist cloth for 20 minutes.
Filling:
Heat a non stick pan and pour 2 tbsp of oil.
As oil heats up lower the heat.
Add a pinch of hing and cumin seeds.

As the cumin seeds changes colour,add coriander pwd,cumin pwd and fennel pwd.

Keep the heat low.
Stir fry the masala for few seconds and then add ginger and chopped green chilli.

Since the quantity is very little,the spices will roast quickly.
Add the grinded daal.

With a wooden spatulla keep pressing and crushing till all the lumps of daal is evenly mixed with the spices.

 Stir fry the daal till it is lightly fried and brown.
Add salt,garam masala and chopped coriander leaves.

Stir fry for a minute.

Close gas and let the mixture cool in the pan.
Once the mixture is at room temperature,transfer to a plate or bowl.
Divide the dough into 20 balls.Cover with a moist cloth.

Spread some oil on the counter.
Flatten each ball and then roll into small circle.
Fill 1 tsp of daal and close.

Press the dough after closing it.
Lightly roll with a rolling pin.

If the edges are thick you can press the edges with your fingers.
Keep the kachoris a little thick.
Heating and the right temperature of oil is important to make khasta Kachoris.

Kachoris are crisp only when they are fried in low heat and evenly brown on both sides.

Heat oil in a deep kadhai.
Once the oil is heated,lower the heat and check to see the right temperature of oil, to drop the kachoris.
To test, drop a tiny dough ball in the heated oil.
If it rises quickly onto the surface,then oil is ready.
If the dough stays at the bottom, then oil is not ready.

Once the oil is ready, drop the kachoris one by one in the kadhai.
Medium size kadhai can take 4 to 5 kachoris at a time.

The heat has to be kept low,while the kachoris are simmering in hot oil.

Keep turning the kachoris to evenly brown them.

Take out the kachoris in a plate spread with paper napkin to soak the extra oil.

After few minutes serve the kachoris with tamarind chutney.

It taste better even when cold.
Best eaten the day it is made but  can be stored for few days.