KHASTA KACHORI RECIPES

Steps:

• Make the pastry by putting the flour, melted ghee, vegetable oil and salt into a deep mixing bowl and bringing them together with your fingertips. Add the cold water a little at a time to make a dough. Knead until it is medium-firm, then put aside to rest while you make the filling. Heat the vegetable oil over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they stop spluttering. Then add the pre-soaked moong dal, coriander powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, dry red chili flakes, dried mango powder and salt to taste.  Stir thoroughly and cook until the mixture darkens and turns aromatic, stirring often.  Set the cooked filling aside. Lightly flour a clean, flat surface and knead your dough again, then divide it into 12 equal-sized portions. Flatten a portion into a circle 3 inches to 4 inches wide, with the edges thicker than the center.  Spoon a tablespoon of the cool filling into the middle of the circle, then pleat and pinch together the edges to create a dumpling with the filling enclosed inside. Flatten this dumpling and keep aside, then do the same with the other portions of dough. Allow to rest for three to five minutes whilst you heat the vegetable oil for deep frying. To heat the oil, put it into a deep wok over a medium heat. When the oil is ready for deep frying a tiny ball of dough dropped into it will sizzle and rise to the surface. If it doesn't, the oil is still cold, but if it rises very quickly, the oil is too hot. As the oil is heating, take each kachori and flatten into a circle 3 inches to 4 inches wide on a very lightly floured surface with the palm of your hand.  Press the edges slightly more than the center so that they are thinner.  When the oil is hot enough, drop in one to two kachoris at a time to fry, but don't overcrowd the wok.  When the kachori has fried on one side for two to three minutes, turn it with a slotted spoon to see if it is golden.  When it is, fry the other side until golden, then drain the khasta kachoris with the slotted spoon and place on kitchen towels. To serve, cool briefly then poke a hole in the middle of one side of a Khasta Kachori and pour in some tamarind chutney and mint-coriander chutney.

Steps:

• Make the pastry by putting the flour, melted ghee, vegetable oil and salt into a deep mixing bowl and bringing them together with your fingertips. Add the cold water a little at a time to make a dough. Knead until it is medium-firm, then put aside to rest while you make the filling. Heat the vegetable oil over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they stop spluttering. Then add the pre-soaked moong dal, coriander powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, dry red chili flakes, dried mango powder and salt to taste.  Stir thoroughly and cook until the mixture darkens and turns aromatic, stirring often.  Set the cooked filling aside. Lightly flour a clean, flat surface and knead your dough again, then divide it into 12 equal-sized portions. Flatten a portion into a circle 3 inches to 4 inches wide, with the edges thicker than the center.  Spoon a tablespoon of the cool filling into the middle of the circle, then pleat and pinch together the edges to create a dumpling with the filling enclosed inside. Flatten this dumpling and keep aside, then do the same with the other portions of dough. Allow to rest for three to five minutes whilst you heat the vegetable oil for deep frying. To heat the oil, put it into a deep wok over a medium heat. When the oil is ready for deep frying a tiny ball of dough dropped into it will sizzle and rise to the surface. If it doesn't, the oil is still cold, but if it rises very quickly, the oil is too hot. As the oil is heating, take each kachori and flatten into a circle 3 inches to 4 inches wide on a very lightly floured surface with the palm of your hand.  Press the edges slightly more than the center so that they are thinner.  When the oil is hot enough, drop in one to two kachoris at a time to fry, but don't overcrowd the wok.  When the kachori has fried on one side for two to three minutes, turn it with a slotted spoon to see if it is golden.  When it is, fry the other side until golden, then drain the khasta kachoris with the slotted spoon and place on kitchen towels. To serve, cool briefly then poke a hole in the middle of one side of a Khasta Kachori and pour in some tamarind chutney and mint-coriander chutney.