GMT : Pyaaz ki Kachori (Pastry stuffed with spicy onion filling)

If you have been following my blog since I started it then either you are one of my friends B, the Pious Hippie or G, or my mother or V.

My point- I have posted this recipe for Pyaaz ki kachori before. Way before. Three and a half years back. Just a few days after I started this blog.

Kachoris are flaky, crispy deep fried pastries that are filled with different savory fillings and served as a snack in India. Pyaaz is the hindi word for onions, and pyaaz kachoris are very popular in the western Indian state of Rajasthan.

Since it has been such a long time and since most of you hadn’t even heard of my blog then, I decided to repost the recipe with a little update about it, instead of just updating that recipe with new pictures and a print friendly recipe. If you would like to check out the original recipe, pictures and what I was up to on August 3rd, 2010 you can check the original post here. Else continue to read on here.

Most of my schooling has been from Rajasthan and I have had my share of pyaaz kachoris and can safely say that the recipe that I am sharing with you today comes quite close to what I have grown up eating.

When I first posted about the recipe, my mom loved the sound of it and made it in her home in India. Well, she actually told her cook to make it, but nonetheless she was very happy with the results. So much so that she made them again when she visited her in-laws (my grandparents). My uncle, who at that time was managing a gas station convenient store in India, and got to taste these kachoris as well, loved the kachoris so much that he took the recipe from my mom to introduce them to his store’s restaurant.

I wont take credit for the recipe because I am sure I picked it up from somewhere. I noted it in my notebook years ago, and now have no clue where the original recipe came from. Anyway I hope you do try it out and enjoy it as much as we do.

SHAPING AND FILLING THE KACHORIS

Roll into a 3-4 inches diameter disc with a rolling pin or using your palms flatten the ball.

 Place the onion filling in the center of the disc. You can choose to brush the edges with water.

This is optional but it helps the dough to stick very well while folding and the filling has no chance to come out.

Bring all the edges in the center and pinch them to join, with the filling close inside. Then flatten the pinched up dough ball, making sure there are no gaps.

Take the flattened dough and using the heel of your hand flatten the kachori further to about 4-5 inches in size. You can also make the kachori by using a rolling pin, but do very gently, so that the filling does not break out. Although in the picture I have shown a rolling pin, I do prefer to flatten the kachoris by hand. They somehow come out better and puff up better.

Once made, set aside covered under a wet cloth.

Repeat procedure till all 12 kachoris are filled and rolled out.

A few key points while making the kachoris:

• Be very careful to close the opening, or else when you deep fry, the filling oozes out.
• Remember to fry the kachori on a very slow flame so that the crust is crisp and gets cooked on the inside. As you can see in my previous post I followed those directions and got nicely puffed up bubble free kachoris. Since I had a time crunch with the pictures I am sharing today, I did increase the heat a bit and got way too many bubbles in my kachoris. Cooking on low heat avoids that, plus also makes sure your kachoris are cooked all the way through (although in the case with the kachoris in the picture I had no problem of uncooked dough).
• Keep the dough covered with a moist cloth at all times.

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Pyaaz ki Kachori (Pastry stuffed with spicy onion filling)

 

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Serves: 12 kachoris

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ¼ cup melted ghee (Indian clarified butter)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ - 1 cup cold water.

For the filling:

• 2 cups finely chopped onions
• ½ tsp hing (asafetida)
• 1 tsp Kalonji (onion seeds)
• 2 tsp saunf (fennel seeds)
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ tsp green chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
• 2 tsp dhania powder (coriander pdr)
• 1 tsp red chilli pdr
• 1 tsp garam masala (if using homemade- I have a great recipe on the blog, then use ½ tsp)
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Instructions

For the dough:

1. In a bowl mix the flour with the salt.
2. Rub in the melted ghee into the flour until crumbs form. (Similar to how you make pie dough.)
3. Slowly add the icy cold water and knead until a pliable dough is formed, not too soft and not too hard. Cover and set aside to rest for about 20 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into twelve equal size balls.

For the filling:

1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Add the asafetida, onion seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaves and let splutter. Once the oil is fragrant add the green chillies and finely chopped onions, and sauté till the onions turn light brown in colour.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste, gram flour, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala and salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add chopped coriander and mix well.
5. Remove the bay leaves.
6. Allow mix to cool completely. Divide into 12 equal portions.

To make the kachoris:

1. Roll or flatten each ball out and shape circle to look like a bowl.
2. Fill it with the about a tbsp of the onion mix in the center.
3. Gather the edges together like a pouch and seal so that the filling is enclosed in the center. Set aside, covered, whilst you continue with the rest.
4. Once all are done, take one ball at a time and using the heel of your hand, gently press each one to flatten it. Press on the side where the seam was (where you sealed off your kachoris). Be very gentle so as not burst the kachoris. Flatten th kachori to about 4-5 inches in size. You can also roll using a rolling pin, but do very gently as otherwise the pastry covering breaks. Keep the ready to fry kachoris covered under a clean wet cloth.
5. Heat sufficient oil in thick bottom pan. Once oil is ready, lower the heat to low and then put the kachoris in to fry. If the oil is too hot they will color before the dough gets fully cooked, so it is VERY important to maintain the heat on low. Fry both sides until golden brown and crispy. Once golden brown, remove from fire and put on a plate lined with paper towel.
6. Serve hot with mint chutney/ tamarind chutney or ketchup.

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