Ingredients:-
For crust:
- 1 cup All Purpose flour (plain flour or maida)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 cup-1 tablespoon chilled water
For filling:
- 1/4 cup yellow moong dal
- 1 teaspoon coarsely grinded fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon coarsely grinded coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon red chilly flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/2 teaspoon mango powder
- Pinch of asafetida (hing)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to your taste)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- Oil to deep fry
Method
To make crust:
Mix the flour, salt and oil. Add the chilled water slowly, mixing with your fingers as you pour. Do not knead the dough. The dough should be soft. Cover the dough and let it sit for at least fifteen minutes.
To make filling:
Grind the moong dal dry until it almost becomes a powder. Transfer to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and all the spices. Mix it well. On medium-low heat, roast the dal mixture for about two to three minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer to a bowl. Let it cool for a few minutes. Add two tablespoons of warm water and mix well.
To make the Kachoris:
Take the dough and knead it for a few minutes. Divide the dough in twelve equal parts. Take one part in your palm and with your fingers flatten the edges so that it becomes a circle about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Mold the dough into a cup and add about 1 teaspoon of dal mixture in the center. Seal by pulling over all the edges. Repeat with the rest.
Now heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
Set the kachoris on a surface with the seams facing up. Using the base of your palm, slowly flatten them into circles about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Fry them on medium-low heat. After they start to puff, slowly turn them over. Fry until golden-brown on both sides. If the kachoris are fried on high heat, they will get soft and will not be crispy.
Useful Tips -
To check whether the oil is hot enough drop a little piece of dough in oil. It should sizzle, but not come up right away.
Don’t roll the kachoris with a rolling pin. Rolling pins will cause the kachoris to have small holes in the dough, allowing oil to fill the kachoris. Also, when using a rolling pin, the kachoris are uneven and when frying one side will be thicker than the other.
Variation
Instead of using moong dal, you can use washed urad dal or chana dal. The rest of the recipe stays the same.
Serving suggestions
Kachoris can be served plain, with a variety of chutneys, with chola, or with dam aloo. Serve them as a chat, pouring plain yogurt and chutney on top.
