Ahilya Fort’s Crispy Kachori
These kachori are served in little squares of newspaper and cost just a few rupees at a stall on the side of the streets. Always fry the kachori on a low-medium heat to ensure they are cooked through and crispy. Adding gram (chickpea) flour to the stuffin
SERVES
10
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
10
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
20
MINUTES
Ingredients
For the dough
300g plain flour
2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp salt
For the filling
200g mung beans
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 green chillies, 1 slit lengthways and 1 finely chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp ghee
4 tbsp gram flour (chickpea flour)
1-2 tbsp grated ginger
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp asafoetida
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp garam masala
oil for frying
Method
The day before, cover the mung beans in cold water and allow to soak overnight.
Next day:
To make the dough, put the flour and salt into a bowl.
Add the ghee and oil and a small amount of lukewarm water.
Keep mixing and gradually add up to 150ml water, until a soft dough forms with no flour remaining on your hands. Knead the dough on a clean surface. Make into a ball, pop into a bowl, cover with a damp tea-towel and allow to rest for 1 hour approx in a warm place. Meanwhile, make the filling.
Toast the cumin seeds, 1 tsp of the fennel seeds and coriander seeds in a small dry frying pan for 3-4 minutes.
Allow to cool, then grind the whole spices to a fine powder using a coffee or spice grinder and set aside.
Put the soaked and drained mung beans, the slit green chilli and 8 tbsp of water in a food processor. Blitz to make a slightly coarse paste.
Heat the oil and ghee in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the remaining 1 tsp fennel seeds and cook for 1 minute until it smells aromatic. Stir in the gram flour – it needs to be roasted to get rid of the raw smell.
Cook on a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure it doesn’t burn. Stir in the bean mixture and mix well to ensure there are no lumps.
Tip in the ginger, chopped green chilli, turmeric, asafoetida, salt, sugar and 1 tsp of the spice powder you prepared earlier and the garam masala. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes until the water has evaporated.
The bean filling should be dry and thick. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Divide the rested dough into 10 equal portions and roll each one into a ball.
Take a ball of dough and flatten with both palms into a flat circle, then by pressing your thumb against the ends, to make it thinner and larger in size.
Put in the cup of your palm, so the dough takes that shape and fill with 1 tbsp of the cooked filling. Bring the sides of the dough to the centre and pinch the ends to seal (try not to pinch too much of the dough together or that end will be too doughy).
Repeat the process for 10 portions.
Heat a wok half-filled with oil over a high heat and bring to 180°C or until a piece of the dough dropped in the oil sizzles immediately.
Reduce the temperature a little and carefully lower in a few of the kachori and continue to cook in batches for 4-5 minutes each until golden.
Remove using a slotted spoon and put on a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain. Serve immediately with your choice of chutney. When served on the street, they are sold in little squares of newspaper.
