How to Cook Khasta Kachori
Serves: 3-4
Preparation time: 20 mins + 30 mins (inactive)
Cooking time: 20 mins
Ingredients needed to make Khasta Kachori:
For the dough:
- 2 ½ cups Durum wheat flour
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/3 cup melted ghee or clarified butter
- Water, as required
- Oil, for frying
For the filling:
- ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
- ½ cup frozen carrots, thawed
- 2 cups boiled potatoes, coarsely mashed
- ¾ cup onions, chopped
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups green chili, minced
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ¾ cup ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp dry mango powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
Cooking instructions for Khasta Kachori:
- To prepare the dough, drizzle the melted ghee into the flour and work them together with your fingers as well as rub them between your palms, until they blend together to form a flaky mixture.
- Stir in salt until well mixed and pour water into it, few tbsp at the time, while mixing the mixture with your hands, until they gather together to form a smooth, slightly tough dough.
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly-floured working surface and knead it for about 5 minutes.
- Shape it into a smooth ball and cover it with a moist cheese cloth or plastic wrap.
- Let it rest for half an hour while you cook the filling.
- For the filling, heat a lashing of oil in a skillet and throw in the chopped onions.
- Stir fry for a couple of minutes and stir in both the whole and ground spices, followed by the minced chili.
- Give it a good stir until well combined and toss in the carrots as well as green peas.
- Stir them once again until they are thoroughly distributed throughout the mixture and fold in the mashed potatoes.
- Adjust the seasonings and cook the mixture for about 3-4 minutes and stir in the cilantro.
- Remove from heat and set aside until it cools completely.
- To assemble the kachori, split the dough into small portions.
- Oil your palms lightly and roll each portion between them into a small ball.
- Press it slightly to flatten it out into a 4’’ wide disc, with a thicker centre compared to its edges.
- Place a tbsp of the filling at the centre of the disc and wrap its edges around the filling, pinching them together to seal.
- Press it between your oiled palms to flatten it out and get rid of any air pockets.
- Wrap it up with a moist cheese cloth and make rest of the stuffed dough in a similar fashion/
- Fill a deep-fryer or a deep-bottomed skillet with oil, until it stands a couple of inches from the -base and heat over medium-high flame until it sizzles.
- Lower the stuffed dough into the hot oil and deep fry, while splashing them with the hot oil from time to time, until they turn golden brown.
- Drain them out, using a slotted spoon, into a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess grease.
- Serve hot alongside tomato ketchup or traditional Indian chutney.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
