Khasta kachori is one of my absolute favourite things to have. It is deep fried dough with a filling of spicy urad dal, how can you go wrong with this one. It is crispy, crunchy and at the same time spicy. It is a perfect tea time snack and if you are crazy like me you can even have it as dinner along with aloo rassa and sweet tamarind chutney. For me khasta kachori is an anytime meal/snack.The best ones I have had are from Meerut, but unfortunately because of the lock down, I couldn't get my hands on them from a halwai close to my place leave alone Meerut. When a food calls out to me I have to make it my kitchen, I love to experiment with food and adore cooking. The joy i get in the kitchen after creating something beautiful myself, which I would usually order from outside and eat is incomparable to anything else. So I experimented with khasta kachori and to my surprise , they turned out better than the ones you get at the halwai, or if i can say so very close to the ones you get in Meerut. Even though i tried my hands on them for the first time, they turned out terrific. and contrary to popular belief they are pretty simple to make,
In a large mixing bowl mis together:
+ 250 grams flour
+ 1 teaspoon salt
+ 50 grams ghee
Rub the flour by using finger tips till it becomes crumbly or bread crumbs like texture.
Make a smooth stiff dough by adding enough warm water gradually.
Cover with damp cloth and let it rest for 40-45 minutes.
Wash and soak 1/2 cup yellow urad dal for 4-5 hours in water.
After soaking cook the dal in pan by covering the dal with enough water until the dal mashes slightly in between ur fingers.
Pulse the cooked dal in a mixer grinder without any water just for 30 seconds.
Heat oil in a pan, when hot add:
+ 1 teaspoon cumin seed ( allow them to splutter and change colour)
+ 1 teaspoon grated ginger
+ 2 finely chopped green chilli
After the raw aroma of the ginger goes away add:
+1/4 teaspoon heeng
+ 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
+ 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
+ 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Add the pulsed urad dal to the above and mix well.
Add:
+ 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
+ 1 teaspoon salt
+ 1 teaspoon fennel seeds powder
+ 1 teaspoon coriander powder
+ 1 teaspoon amchur powder
Do a taste test and adjust spices accordingly, we are looking at a spicy mixture.
Switch off the flame and let the filling cool.
Divide the rested dough in 12 balls.
Roll out one call in a 4-5 inch circle, fill it with approximately 2 teaspoon of urad dal filling in the center, bring all the edges together and seal it tightly, remove excess dough and press it gently with your fingers so that edges gets sealed properly.
Roll it gently again into 2-3 inch diameter with the help of roller to give the shape of kachori.
Do not roll by applying pressure otherwise outer layer may break and stuffing will come out.
Repeat the same process to make rest of the kachoris with the other dough balls.
(you might be left with some dal filling in which case you can freeze it and use it later to make kachoris again)
Heat oil in a pan on medium low flame.
Make sure oil should not be very hot , as we need to fry kachoris for a longer time to make sure they are cooked till the inside.
When the oil medium hot then slide 2-3 kachori into hot oil and fry by pressing it gently with spatula.
Fry on both sides until light brown in. colour and take them out of the pan.
Deep fry all kachoris.
We will fry kachoris the second time in medium hot oil until crispy and golden brown.
Frying twice ensures they they cook till inside and become crispy
P.S. If you will fry kachoris in hot oil, they will get brown fast and become soft when cooled down. Always fry them at medium low flame to make them crispy even after they cool down. Always fry in batches, do not overcrowd the pan.
Once done, take out on a tissue paper to remove excess oil.
Halwai wali khasta kachoris are ready to serve. You can store these kachoris for few days in an air tight container.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large mixing bowl mis together:
+ 250 grams flour
+ 1 teaspoon salt
+ 50 grams ghee
Rub the flour by using finger tips till it becomes crumbly or bread crumbs like texture.
Make a smooth stiff dough by adding enough warm water gradually.
Cover with damp cloth and let it rest for 40-45 minutes.
Wash and soak 1/2 cup yellow urad dal for 4-5 hours in water.
After soaking cook the dal in pan by covering the dal with enough water until the dal mashes slightly in between ur fingers.
Pulse the cooked dal in a mixer grinder without any water just for 30 seconds.
Heat oil in a pan, when hot add:
+ 1 teaspoon cumin seed ( allow them to splutter and change colour)
+ 1 teaspoon grated ginger
+ 2 finely chopped green chilli
After the raw aroma of the ginger goes away add:
+1/4 teaspoon heeng
+ 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
+ 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
+ 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Add the pulsed urad dal to the above and mix well.
Add:
+ 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
+ 1 teaspoon salt
+ 1 teaspoon fennel seeds powder
+ 1 teaspoon coriander powder
+ 1 teaspoon amchur powder
Do a taste test and adjust spices accordingly, we are looking at a spicy mixture.
Switch off the flame and let the filling cool.
Divide the rested dough in 12 balls.
Roll out one call in a 4-5 inch circle, fill it with approximately 2 teaspoon of urad dal filling in the center, bring all the edges together and seal it tightly, remove excess dough and press it gently with your fingers so that edges gets sealed properly.
Roll it gently again into 2-3 inch diameter with the help of roller to give the shape of kachori.
Do not roll by applying pressure otherwise outer layer may break and stuffing will come out.
Repeat the same process to make rest of the kachoris with the other dough balls.
(you might be left with some dal filling in which case you can freeze it and use it later to make kachoris again)
Heat oil in a pan on medium low flame.
Make sure oil should not be very hot , as we need to fry kachoris for a longer time to make sure they are cooked till the inside.
When the oil medium hot then slide 2-3 kachori into hot oil and fry by pressing it gently with spatula.
Fry on both sides until light brown in. colour and take them out of the pan.
Deep fry all kachoris.
We will fry kachoris the second time in medium hot oil until crispy and golden brown.
Frying twice ensures they they cook till inside and become crispy
P.S. If you will fry kachoris in hot oil, they will get brown fast and become soft when cooled down. Always fry them at medium low flame to make them crispy even after they cool down. Always fry in batches, do not overcrowd the pan.
Once done, take out on a tissue paper to remove excess oil.
Halwai wali khasta kachoris are ready to serve. You can store these kachoris for few days in an air tight container.