KACHORI

There is samosa and then there is pakora but the height of Pakistani comfort snack/appetizer  is Kachori.

A flaky pillow of crispy, buttery goodness filled with spicy aromatic ground beef/chicken makes it a heavenly snack. Crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside, one bite and you’ll go all in. Pair it with Mint Chutney or Imli ki Chutney for that oomph factor. Make it today for iftar and trust me your whole family will love it.  To make a Kachori Chaat, dunk it in a bowl of Cholay/ Channay and top it with chutney. YUM!! (Kachori recipe adapted from Cook with Faiza).

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DOUGH:

• 200 g -All Purpose Flour

• 1/2 tsp -Salt

• 3/4 tsp – Cumin

• Water

INGREDIENTS FOR THE LAYERING BATTER:

• 2 tbsp.- All Purpose Flour

• 6-8 tbsp – Butter/ Ghee (Room Temperature)

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING:

•  1 lb- Ground Beef/ Chicken

• 1 – Onion (med)

• 1/2 tsp- Red Chilli Powder

• 1/2 tsp- Black Pepper Powder

• 1/2 tsp- Fenugreek Leaves

• 1/2 tsp- Turmeric

• 1 tsp- Cumin Powder

• 1 tsp- Coriander Powder

• 2 tsp- Crushed Garlic

• Pinch of Garam Masala

• 1/4 Bunch- Cilantro

• 2 – Green Chillies ( De seeded and chopped)

• Salt to taste

• 2 tbsp- Olive Oil

RECIPE:

STEP 1:

• Knead the dough to a soft, pliable consistency. Let it rest for 1/2 hour.

• Make 4-6 small balls and let them rest for another 10 mins.

• Mix 2 tbsp flour and ghee/butter to make a thick batter.

STEP 2:

• Put oil in a wok and saute onions till they are translucent.

• Add ginger and garlic and saute for another minute.

• Add ground chicken/beef along with all the spices mentioned.

• Cook for 15-20 minutes

• Mix in fresh cilantro and chopped chilli.

• Once cooled put it on a kitchen towel to drain all the excess oil.

STEP 3:

• Roll out the balls into disc shapes.

• Spread an even layer of batter on top.

• Fold the disc from one side and applying the batter again. Then fold all the other sides till you get a square.

• Repeat it will all the balls. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes

• Roll out the squares and put 1-2 tbsp of filling in the center. Pick up the sides and pinch them together. Then pick up the sides again and re-pinch, twisting and pressing down in the middle so as to it give a flat shape.

• Heat oil in a wok and add the kachori. Do not overfill the wok.

• Once you put in the kachori in the wok, lower the heat and let it fry slowly.

• The kachori will first sink to the bottom and as it cooks, will rise to the top.

• Fry till they are golden-brown in color.

• To make sure that the inside is well cooked, place in 400 F pre-heated oven for at least 10 minutes.

• Enjoy!!