Khasta is the Hindi word meaning “crispy”, whereas kachori is a popular deep fried street food snack encasing a spicy filling. It is believed to have been created by the Marwaris who were pioneers of trade and commerce. They travelled and settled across the country taking with them the foods that they enjoyed. The filling varies from state to state ranging from urad dal, moong dal, mung bean, mawa, onion, hing, mixture of vegetables and many more. Each kachori is delicious and irresistibly tempting. Served with an absolutely amazing aloo tamatar ki sabzi. A bite of the crunchy pastry with the flavourful filling along with the sabzi is a party in the mouth.
Kachori is very easy and simple to make. Addition of semolina with the flour contributes to a crispy texture. Incorporating ghee and rubbing it into the flour mixture before adding water is important. Dough should be smooth and set aside to rest. Vegetables should be finely chopped with the stuffing moist and free of any runny liquid. When filling a dough ball, seal well, flatten and gently press with the fingers. Do not roll. Fry on medium low heat in batches of two until puffed and golden brown. Overcrowding the pan will drop the temperature making the kachori soggy. Drain on a wire rack and not on absorbent paper towels. This will enable proper circulation of air to keep them crisp. Enjoy this much loved street food in your very own home.
Kachori is very easy and simple to make. Addition of semolina with the flour contributes to a crispy texture. Incorporating ghee and rubbing it into the flour mixture before adding water is important. Dough should be smooth and set aside to rest. Vegetables should be finely chopped with the stuffing moist and free of any runny liquid. When filling a dough ball, seal well, flatten and gently press with the fingers. Do not roll. Fry on medium low heat in batches of two until puffed and golden brown. Overcrowding the pan will drop the temperature making the kachori soggy. Drain on a wire rack and not on absorbent paper towels. This will enable proper circulation of air to keep them crisp. Enjoy this much loved street food in your very own home.
Khasta Kachori
(Yields 10)
Filling
Ingredients:
4 potatoes (boiled, peeled and mashed)
1/2 cup finely chopped green beans
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot (about 1 carrot)
1 green bell pepper (finely chopped)
1 onion (finely chopped)
2 green chillies (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2-inch ginger (grated)
1 large tomato (finely chopped)
1 sprig of curry leaves (chopped)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
dash of lime juice
few coriander leaves (chopped)
2 tablespoons oil
salt
Method:
Heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Once seeds start to splutter, stir in onion and cook until soft. Fry garlic and ginger. Mix in the tomato and all the spice powders. Allow to blend well.
Then, incorporate green beans, carrot and green bell pepper. Cover and cook vegetables on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the mashed potatoes, salt and lime juice. Combine well and finish with coriander leaves.
Set aside to cool.
Note:
Pastry
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour or durum atta
1/2 cup semolina (rava)
1/2 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
1/4 cup ghee
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
Method:
In a bowl, add flour, semolina, ajwain (lightly crushed between your palms) and salt. Heat ghee and pour over the flour mixture. Ensure to rub the ghee into the flour to coat and resemble fine breadcrumbs.
Form into a dough after incorporating the water. Knead well into a soft, smooth dough. If dough is too stiff, wet your hand to knead the dough, but do not add more water.
Cover and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
Divide into 10 small balls. Cover them while working with each ball.
Lightly flour a work surface and roll a ball into a small circle. Place a spoonful of filling in the centre. Brush the edge with water and pull inward to enclose the filling. Seal firmly. Gently press the disc to 2.5-inches or 3-inches with your fingers to uniformly spread the stuffing around. Set aside.
Continue the above process with rest of the dough.
Heat oil for deep frying on medium low flame.
Fry a couple in batches by pushing each kachori down with a slotted spoon. This will help them to puff. Turn and fry the other side. When crisp and golden brown, remove onto a wire rack placed on a baking tray to catch any drippings.
Serve kachoris with aloo tamatar ki sabzi.
Aloo Tamatar ki Sabzi
Ingredients:
4 potatoes (boiled and chopped into small pieces)
1 cup green peas
2 green chillies (chopped)
1 large tomato (cut into large pieces)
2 crisp red dried chillies (crushed into flakes with your fingers)
2 cloves
2 green cardamoms
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 teaspoon amchur powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
3 cups water
few coriander leaves (chopped)
2 tablespoons oil
salt
Method:
In a pan, heat oil, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamoms. When fragrant, stir in green chillies, red chilli flakes, asafoetida and rest of the spice powders. Fry well on medium flame. Mix in the potatoes, tomato, peas and then, pour in the water.
Sprinkle salt and allow the sabzi to cook for few minutes.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Note:
(Yields 10)
Filling
Ingredients:
4 potatoes (boiled, peeled and mashed)
1/2 cup finely chopped green beans
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot (about 1 carrot)
1 green bell pepper (finely chopped)
1 onion (finely chopped)
2 green chillies (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2-inch ginger (grated)
1 large tomato (finely chopped)
1 sprig of curry leaves (chopped)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
dash of lime juice
few coriander leaves (chopped)
2 tablespoons oil
salt
Method:
Heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Once seeds start to splutter, stir in onion and cook until soft. Fry garlic and ginger. Mix in the tomato and all the spice powders. Allow to blend well.
Then, incorporate green beans, carrot and green bell pepper. Cover and cook vegetables on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the mashed potatoes, salt and lime juice. Combine well and finish with coriander leaves.
Set aside to cool.
Note:
- Use any vegetables you have on hand for the filling.
- This filling is enough to make 20 kachoris. Double the ingredients listed under pastry to make 20 or refrigerate leftover filling for later.
Pastry
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour or durum atta
1/2 cup semolina (rava)
1/2 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
1/4 cup ghee
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
Method:
In a bowl, add flour, semolina, ajwain (lightly crushed between your palms) and salt. Heat ghee and pour over the flour mixture. Ensure to rub the ghee into the flour to coat and resemble fine breadcrumbs.
Form into a dough after incorporating the water. Knead well into a soft, smooth dough. If dough is too stiff, wet your hand to knead the dough, but do not add more water.
Cover and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
Divide into 10 small balls. Cover them while working with each ball.
Lightly flour a work surface and roll a ball into a small circle. Place a spoonful of filling in the centre. Brush the edge with water and pull inward to enclose the filling. Seal firmly. Gently press the disc to 2.5-inches or 3-inches with your fingers to uniformly spread the stuffing around. Set aside.
Continue the above process with rest of the dough.
Heat oil for deep frying on medium low flame.
Fry a couple in batches by pushing each kachori down with a slotted spoon. This will help them to puff. Turn and fry the other side. When crisp and golden brown, remove onto a wire rack placed on a baking tray to catch any drippings.
Serve kachoris with aloo tamatar ki sabzi.
Aloo Tamatar ki Sabzi
Ingredients:
4 potatoes (boiled and chopped into small pieces)
1 cup green peas
2 green chillies (chopped)
1 large tomato (cut into large pieces)
2 crisp red dried chillies (crushed into flakes with your fingers)
2 cloves
2 green cardamoms
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 teaspoon amchur powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
3 cups water
few coriander leaves (chopped)
2 tablespoons oil
salt
Method:
In a pan, heat oil, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamoms. When fragrant, stir in green chillies, red chilli flakes, asafoetida and rest of the spice powders. Fry well on medium flame. Mix in the potatoes, tomato, peas and then, pour in the water.
Sprinkle salt and allow the sabzi to cook for few minutes.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Note:
- Tomato pieces are added later so that they don’t break down completely.
- This sabzi is absolutely amazing. Instead of green peas, I have even made it with black chickpeas that were soaked and separately cooked until tender.