Aloo Ki Kachori (Deep fried pastry stuffed with Potatoes)

Aloo Kachori is very common in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab especially during winters.

Kachoris are made from the dough made of maida and whole wheat flour with a little oil added, stuffed with boiled potato mix, rolled out thin and round with a wooden roller and deep-friend in clarified butter or vegetable fat.

Ingredients:

For the stuffing

• 1 Pound Potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1 tbsp Ginger paste
• 1 tbsp Garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Green Chilies paste
• 2 tbsp Cilantro leaves finely chopped
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp dry Mango powder
• A pinch of asafetida (optional)
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Salt To taste
• 2 tbsp Oil

For the Kachori

• 2 cups Maida
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 4 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• Cooking Oil for deep-frying

Method:

• Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a frying pan.
• Add asafetida and cumin seeds. When cumin stops spluttering add ginger, garlic, green chili paste and fry for2-3 minutes. Add red chili powder, garam masala, raw mango powder and salt. Mix well
• Add the mashed potatoes and stir-fry it well. Now add chopped cilantro leaves and keep aside.
• Mix wheat flour, maida, salt, and 4 tbsp cooking oil. Knead into soft and smooth dough by adding warm water. Cover with moist cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes.
• Make small balls of the dough. Press one of the balls to about 3 to 4" diameter. Place a part of the stuffing on top.
• Gather the dough around folding the stuffing in. Make sure most of the air escapes. Press down again making it flatter. Roll it lightly, slightly thicker than puri with oil.
• Heat the oil in a wok or kadhai on medium heat till it starts smoking. Slip in a kachori (seam-side down). Deep-fry Kachoris 2-3 at a time, till they are golden brown.
• Drain excess oil and serve hot with pickle and /or green chutney and sabji of your choice.

Note:

The most important thing in making kachoris is the right temperature at which these are deep-fried. Try to start frying when oil just starts smoking. High temperature will make kachoris soggy and at low temperature kachoris will absorb oil.

So first fry only one kachori; 2-3 kachoris can be fried at a time later on, till they are golden brown.

Tips:

1. To make the kachoris khasta and tastier, add one-tablespoon semolina for each cup of wheat flour while preparing dough for kachoris.
2. Heat oil in a deep frying pan on medium heat. When oil starts smoking, add 2-3 kachoris. Deep-fry the kachoris on medium heat until golden brown.
3. When you put the kachori in oil for frying, keep the folded side downwards. The kachori will never burst during frying and no stuffing will come out and mix in the oil.
4. Frying the Aloo masala for stuffing can be avoided to save fat intake without sacrificing much of the taste.