Kachori

Kachori (Urad Dal Filled Fried Pastry)

A classic North Indian snack of crisp, flaky pastry encasing a hot, aromatic filling of spiced urad dal (split black gram), traditionally served with tamarind and mint chutneys.

Prep

30 min

Cook

25 min

Total

55 min

Serves

4 (makes 12-14 kachoris)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (8.8 oz / 2 cups) all-purpose flour, maida, or substitute with 1:1 plain flour
• •30 g (2 tbsp) semolina, fine sooji/rava, for flakiness
• •60 g (4 tbsp) ghee or shortening, mohan, rubbed into flour for flaky layers
• •120 ml (1/2 cup) water, approx., for kneading; add as needed
• •1 g (1/4 tsp) salt
• •200 g (7 oz / 1 cup) urad dal, split and husked black gram, soaked 1-2 hours
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) oil, for sautéing the filling
• •10 g (2 tsp) fennel seeds, saunf, lightly crushed
• •5 g (1 tsp) coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• •3 g (1/2 tsp) asafoetida, hing; essential to the flavor profile
• •5 g (1 tsp) red chili powder, adjust to taste, Kashmiri for less heat
• •4 g (1 tsp) Garam masala
• •3 g (1/2 tsp) ground ginger, or 1 tbsp fresh ginger paste
• •2 g (1/2 tsp) amchur, dried mango powder for tang
• •3 g (1 tsp) salt, for the filling
• •2 g (1 tsp) sugar, balances the spice
• •500 ml (2 cups) oil for deep frying, must cover kachoris by 2.5 cm / 1 inch

Steps

1. 1 Dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, semolina, and salt. Rub in the ghee until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add water gradually and knead for 6-8 minutes into a stiff, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
2. 2 Filling: Drain the soaked urad dal thoroughly and grind to a coarse paste using minimal water (do not make it smooth or wet; texture should be granular).
3. 3 Heat 30 ml oil in a pan over medium heat. Add asafoetida, fennel seeds, and coriander seeds; sauté 20-30 seconds until fragrant.
4. 4 Add the ground dal paste and cook, stirring continuously, for 5-7 minutes until it thickens and becomes a cohesive mass that holds together.
5. 5 Stir in red chili powder, ginger, garam masala, amchur, salt, and sugar. Cook 1-2 minutes more. Taste and adjust. Cool the filling completely.
6. 6 Assembly: Divide dough into 12-14 equal balls (about 25 g each). Divide filling into equal portions. Flatten each dough ball into a 7.5 cm / 3 inch circle.
7. 7 Place a portion of filling in the center, gather edges up, and seal tightly. Roll gently between palms to smooth. Flatten carefully with a rolling pin to a 7-8 cm disc, keeping edges free of cracks.
8. 8 Frying: Heat oil in a deep kadai or heavy pot to 160-170°C / 325-340°F. Use a thermometer if possible; this is the critical range for puffing.
9. 9 Gently slide 2-3 kachoris into the oil. Do not move them for the first 1-2 minutes; they will puff on their own. Once puffed and risen to the surface, flip and fry another 2-3 minutes.
10. 10 Increase heat slightly to 180°C / 350°F for the final 30-45 seconds per side until deep golden brown and crisp.
11. 11 Drain on paper towels. Kachoris are ready when they sound hollow when tapped and are golden-brown on both sides.
12. 12 Serve hot with tamarind-date chutney and fresh mint-coriander chutney. They are best eaten within 1-2 hours of frying for maximum flakiness.