Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Kachori (Khasta Kachori)
A famously flaky, hollow, deep-fried pastry stuffed with a highly spiced, dry moong dal (yellow lentil) filling.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 100 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- hard
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 6 servings
- all-purpose flour (maida)
- ghee (for dough)
- moong dal (split yellow lentils)
- fennel seeds (saunf)
- coriander seeds
- cumin seeds
- ginger
- green chilies
- besan (gram flour)
- amchur (dry mango powder)
- garam masala
- oil for frying
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Deep frying wok (Kadai)
Instructions
- 1
Prepare Flaky Dough
In a bowl, rub melted ghee firmly into the all-purpose flour until it resembles wet sand. Knead with cold water into a soft but firm dough. Rest it for 30 minutes.
- 2
Soak and Grind Dal
Soak moong dal for 2 hours. Drain completely and grind it coarsely (do not make a fine paste, leave it chunky).
- 3
Roast Whole Spices
Coarsely crush fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds. Roast them in a pan with a little oil until fragrant.
- 4
Cook the Filling
Add a spoonful of besan (gram flour) to the spices and roast it for a minute. Then add the coarsely ground moong dal.
- 5
Dry the Filling
Add chopped ginger, green chilies, amchur powder, garam masala, red chili powder, and salt. Cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes until the mixture is completely dry and sandy.
- 6
Form Kachori Balls
Pinch a lemon-sized ball of dough. Flatten it into a small disc, keeping the edges thinner than the center.
- 7
Stuff the Pastry
Place a small spoonful of the dry dal filling in the center. Bring the edges together and seal it very tightly.
- 8
Flatten
Gently press the stuffed ball between your palms to flatten it into a thick disc. Do not use a rolling pin, or they might burst.
- 9
Cold Frying Technique
The oil must be barely warm, NOT hot. Slide the kachoris in. They will sink to the bottom.
- 10
Patience
Fry on the absolute lowest heat possible. After about 10 minutes, they will slowly float to the top and puff up like balloons.
- 11
Crisp and Color
Once they puff up, slightly increase the heat to medium-low and fry until they develop a deep golden-brown, flaky crust (takes 20-25 minutes in total per batch).
- 12
Serve
Drain on paper towels. Serve hot by poking a hole in the center and filling it with Sweet Tamarind Chutney and Spicy Green Chutney.
Cooking Tips
- Frying on extremely low heat is the only way to achieve the 'Khasta' (flaky, crumbly) texture without raw dough inside.
- The filling must be completely devoid of moisture, which is why roasting it with besan is important.
Variations
- Pyaaz Kachori: A famous Rajasthani version stuffed with a spicy caramelized onion filling.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Kachori has an incredible shelf life. If made properly with a dry filling, they stay crisp at room temperature for over a week.
Nutrition Estimate
330 calories · 5g protein · 30g carbs · 20g fat · 3g fiber per serving
