BY SANJEEV KAPOOR
Ingredients:
- 1 cup refined flour (maida)
- ¼ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- A pinch of soda bicarbonate
- 2 tablespoons pure ghee
Filling:
- ½ cup green peas, shelled and lightly crushed
- ½ tablespoon oil + for deep-frying
- A pinch asafoetida
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ inch piece ginger, chopped
- 2 green chillies, chopped
- Salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 tablespoons scraped coconut
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, crushed
Toppings:
- 2 cups yogurt, whisked and chilled
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 2 teaspoons roasted cumin powder
- 4 teaspoons green chutney
- 4 teaspoons sweet date and tamarind chutney
Method:
- Mix refined flour, carom seeds, salt, soda bicarbonate and pure ghee in a bowl. Add cold water as required to knead into a stiff dough.
- Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add asafoetida and cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds begin to change colour, add ginger, green chillies, green peas and salt. Mix and cook for two to three minutes. Take off the heat and add garam masala powder. Mix and set aside to cool. When cool add coconut and peanuts and mix.
- Divide the dough into eight equal portions. Roll each portion and press to make round puris. Stuff each puri with the stuffing and further shape into a kachori.
- Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep-fry the kachoris in medium hot oil till crisp and golden. Drain and place them on an absorbent paper.
- To serve lightly crush two to three kachoris and place them in each serving bowl. Pour some yogurt over it, sprinkle red chilli powder and cumin powder, drizzle both the chutneys and serve immediately.
