Dry Kachori Recipe 

By Fiza Khan

Ingredients:

For Crisp Outer Layer:

1½ cups Maida (all purpose flour)

3½ tablespoons Oil

Salt

For Dry Spicy Stuffing:

1/2 cup Papdi Gathiya or Sev, crushed like coarse powder or Roasted Gram Flour

1½ tablespoons Date Tamarind Chutney

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1½ teaspoons Red Chilli Powder

1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala

1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, crushed coarsely

1/2 teaspoon Dry Mango Powder

1 teaspoon Sesame Seeds (til)

1 tablespoon Coriander Seeds

1 tablespoon Fennel Seeds (saunf)

1/2 teaspoon Poppy Seeds (khuskhus)

1/4 cup Cashew nuts (roughly chopped)

10-12 pieces Raisins (kismis)

2 tablespoons Almonds, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons Powdered Sugar

Salt

1 tablespoon + for deep frying Oil

Directions:

1. 

   Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium size pan. Crush gathiya or sev to medium coarse powder or roast the gram flour.
2. 

   Add all stuffing ingredients except crushed gathiya, date tamarind chutney, sugar and salt; sauté over low flame for 30 seconds.
3. 

   Add crushed gathiya, date tamarind chutney, sugar and salt. Mix properly and roast for a minute. Turn off flame and let it cool for 4-5 minutes. Dry and spicy stuffing for kachori is ready.
4. 

   Mix maida, salt and 3½ tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add warm water as needed and knead a smooth dough (like paratha dough).
5. 

   Divide dough into 16 small lemon size portions and give them a shape of ball. Roll out each ball into thick circular puri having approx. 4-inch diameter.
6. 

   Put 1-2 teaspoons stuffing mixture in the center of puri. Wrap stuffing with puri and seal its edges and again give it a shape of ball.
7. 

   Heat oil over medium flame to deep fry dry masala stuffed balls. When oil is medium hot, carefully slide or drop 5-6 raw balls in oil and deep fry over low flame until they turn light brown. Deep fry remaining balls.
8. 

   Crispy and spicy dry kachori is ready. Enjoy it on its own or serve it with green chutney.

Tips and Variations:

• If gathiya is not available, then use 1/2 cup roasted gram flour (roast gram flour (coarse) using 1 teaspoon oil over low flame until light brown, stir constantly to avoid burning). However, its taste will be bit different.
• To make outer shell crisp and cook evenly, deep fry it over low flame. Deep frying it over medium or high flame will make small bubbles on its outer surface leaving inner surface uncooked.
• Please remember that gathiya’s are already salted. Hence, do not add too much salt in step 2 mentioned above.
• Use 3 tablespoons jaggery dissolved in hot water instead of powdered sugar for variation in taste.

Taste: Crispy and spicy with mild sweet touch

Serving Ideas: Dry Kachori or Suki kachori is a delicious snack capable of satisfying your taste buds on its own. However, it can also be served with mouth watering green chutney or tamarind chutney or khajoor (dates) chutney. It can be served with tea/coffee as well.

By Fiza Khan