Moong Dal Kachori

Moong Daal Kachori  

The recipe which I am sharing today is very near to my heart as this is few of those recipes which I learned during my school days. There is a short and sweet story behind this recipe. I learned making these kachories during my school days. My father got transferred to another city and  he was managing it alone there. He had a good neighborhood there. In Indian culture the best thing is when ever we prepare something good we use to share that with our neighbors.

His neighbors also used to share things with my father and this one is one of those items. In fact they told him about its benefits. It has a shelf life of 3-4 days and if someone is going out and may find uncomfortable in eating out, he can always carry these kachories. and as my papa was living alone and travelling frequently he liked the idea and taste

So when father came back he brought some for us as well. We all liked its taste and I was as usual determined to create the same taste. With few trials I could achieve the taste. One thing I specifically liked about this is that it uses Moong Daal. Normally we use Urad daal which is comparatively heavier for digestion. Using moong daal gives it reduced calories and you won't feel guilt in enjoying it.

This is is one of our favorite food when ever we are on vacation.

Preparation Time :  40 Min

Cooking Time :  20 Min

Resting Time : 1 hour

Ingredients 

 For Filling :

• 1 cup moong dal soaked for 1 hour
• 1 tbsp besan (gram flour)
• Oil 1 tbsp
• Coarsely grind 1 tbsp Indian spices (3-4 green cardamom, 2 black cardamom, cinnamon, 5-6 cloves, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp cumin seed, 2 bay leaves, pinch of asafoetida)
• Tea spoon dry mango powder 
• Ginger 1 inch piece chopped
• 2 chopped green leaves
• 1/2 tsp fennel
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• Salt according to taste
• Red chilli powder according to taste
• Water 1/2 cup or as needed

For Dough :

• All purpose flour (Maida)1 1/2 cup
• Soda bi carbonate (baking soda)1/4 tsp
• Oil 2 tbsp
• Salt according to taste
• Water as required
• Oil for frying

Procedure :    

• Wash moong dal, soak it in enough water for 1 hour and keep it aside
• In a bowl sieve the flour, salt and soda bi carbonate together. Add 2 tbsp of ghee and rub between your palms to get bread crumb texture.

• Knead it into a soft dough with water. Cover with a moist cloth and set aside.

• In a pan, dry roast all the Indian spices and coarsely grind them and keep aside.
• In a pan add spices powder along with gram flour and roast it for 5 to 6 minutes on slow flame till you get a nice aroma. Transfer this in a dish

• In a pan add 1 tablespoon of oil, heat it, add pinch of hing, fennel seed, chopped ginger. Soute this, add chopped green chilies now add moong dal and cook for 4 to 5 minutes add 1/2 cup of water. Cover the pan with lid and cook for 7 to 8 minutes or till the dal gets properly cooked but make sure that we should not over cook the dal 

• Once the dal is cooked add spices and gram flour mixture and cook both the things together
• Now add salt, chilly powder, dry mango powder and chopped coriander, mix all together and transfer this to a bowl and let the mixture get cooled

• Make small ball from dough. flatter the ball, place a tablespoon of filling in the centre and bring the edges together to form a ball as shown in picture

• Flatten it slowly as shown in picture

• Heat oil in kadhai. Fry kachoris on a slow flame till these are cooked properly and are light brown in color

• Repeat the steps with rest of the dough

• Enjoy 

Tip  :

• In case if you feel bringing spices is problem you can use readymade garam masala. But fresh masala has nice aroma
• Try to cook kachori on slow or medium flame
• You can keep spices according to your taste 

Onion Kachori (Deep fried Indian onion bread)

Onion Kachori

This is a special Indian delicacy which is deep fried, enjoyed with friends and family usually in breakfast. It is the specialty of places like Indore and Rajasthan. I made it with my twist of onion with peanuts giving it same taste but added crunch.

Preparation Time : 20 Min

Cooking Time : 20 Min

Ingredients :

For Dough :

• 1 Cup all purpose flour (Maida)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Carom seeds (ajwain) 
• Salt according to taste
• 1/4 Teaspoon of baking soda
• Ghee/Oil 2 Tablespoon
• Water as needed

For Filling :

• 2 Tablespoon dry roasted gram flour (besan)
• 2 Onion sliced
• 1 Tablespoon chopped ginger, garlic
• 2 Chopped green chillies
• 2 Tablespoon chopped coriander
• 1 Tablespoon roasted and crushed peanuts (optional)
• 1 Teaspoon Fennel seeds (saunf)
• Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 1 Teaspoon garam masala powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Teaspoon dry mango powder
• Salt according to taste
• Red chilly powder according to taste
• 1 Tablespoon oil

Oil for frying

Procedure :

For dough : 

• In a bowl sieve the flour, salt and baking soda together. Add carom seeds and oil to this. Now rub the flour mixture between your palms to get bread crumb texture

• Knead the soft dough with water. cover it with moist cloth and keep it aside

For Filling :

• In a pan dry roast besan and keep aside. 
• Take a pan Heat oil in it add hing, fennel seeds and bay leaves

• Now add chopped ginger garlic to this, saute this for a minute, add chopped green chillies and sliced onions. Cook onions for 4 to 5 minutes or till it is translucent in colour

• Now add chilly powder, garam masala powder and salt to this and cook for a minute

• Now add besan to this and cook on low flame till all the moisture is gone and you can smell nice aroma

• Once this is cooked add roasted crushed peanuts to this and cook for a minute. peanuts give a crunchy taste to your kachori

• Now add dry mango powder and chopped coriander leaves, mix it and remove from the flame

• Let the mixture cool for some time and remove the bay leaves for mixture 

• Take the flour dough and make 12 to 14 balls. Take a ball flatten it as shown in picture

• Place a little filling in the centre and bring the edges together to form a ball as shown in picture

• Now Flatten it slightly as shown in picture

• Heat oil in kadai. fry kachories on slow flame till it is cooked properly and golden brown from both the sides

• Repeat the steps for rest of kachories 

• Your Onion Kachori is ready enjoy this with a chutney and a cup of tea