Whole Wheat Kachori is a very unique dish from North-Eastern India; my Punjabi and South-Indian friends are always surprised when they eat it for the first time. Whole Wheat Kachori is basically a stuffed Puri. It is different from Khasta Kachori because it is not made with all purpose flour and there is very small amount of oil used in the the dough.
The most popular filling is Urad daal although Kachori can be stuffed with mashed potatoes, other daals, mashed green peas and paneer. My mother made these Kachoris on all the festivals and special occasions and served them with spicy potatoes and mashed pumpkin.
yield:
13-14 Kachoris
ingredients:
for the dough:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat or chapati flour
2 tsps. vegetable oil
1/3 tsp. salt, make it 1/2 tsp.
1/2 cup water
for the filling:
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 inch cube of ginger or 1/2 tsp. ginger powder
1/2 cup Urad daal, soaked for 2-3 hours, drained
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. asafoetida powder
1/3 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 1/2 cups of oil for frying (see note)
note:
Oil should be 3/4-1 inch deep in frying pan. I used a 9 inch diameter pan.
preparation:
The most popular filling is Urad daal although Kachori can be stuffed with mashed potatoes, other daals, mashed green peas and paneer. My mother made these Kachoris on all the festivals and special occasions and served them with spicy potatoes and mashed pumpkin.
13-14 Kachoris
ingredients:
for the dough:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat or chapati flour
2 tsps. vegetable oil
1/3 tsp. salt, make it 1/2 tsp.
1/2 cup water
for the filling:
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 inch cube of ginger or 1/2 tsp. ginger powder
1/2 cup Urad daal, soaked for 2-3 hours, drained
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. asafoetida powder
1/3 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 1/2 cups of oil for frying (see note)
Oil should be 3/4-1 inch deep in frying pan. I used a 9 inch diameter pan.
preparation:
- Make dough by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl or food processor, slowly adding water to make a soft but not sticky dough. Set aside.
- Coarsely grind fennel seeds, coriander and cumin seeds using a coffee grinder or pestle and mortar or crushing in a plastic bag.
- Place ginger in a food processor and mince it.
- Add daal and process until coarsely ground. Daal should not be too course, it should be sticking together but not a paste either.
- Add fennel-cumin-coriander mix, salt, cayenne pepper and asafoetida, blend well.
- Divide dough into 13-14 equal portions.
- On an oiled surface, pat one piece of dough into a 3 inch circle, keeping it thicker in the middle.
- Place one tablespoon of daal mixture in the middle of dough circle using a scoop or spoon.
- Bring up all sides of dough patty, gathering and pinching on top, gently pushing the filling in.
- Flatten into a 2 inch patty.
- Make all the patties, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Using a rolling pin, gently roll each patty into a 4-41/2 inch circle, oiling the rolling pin and surface to keep from sticking. Keep covered to keep from drying out.
- When almost all Kachoris are rolled, heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
- Test to see if oil is hot by dropping a small piece of dough in oil. Dough should rise to the top in 6-7 seconds (300 degrees F).
- Gently slide a Kachori into hot oil, pushing it down with a spatula to coax into puffing up, about one minute.
- Turn Kachori over and fry for a minute on this side.
- Kachori should be golden brown on both sides.
- Drain on paper towels. Serve hot Kachoris with Kaddu (Tangy Mashed Pumpkin) and Jeera Aloo (Potatoes with Cumin)