Hing Kachori (Asafetida Flavored Deep Fried Pastry)

Kachori ( Kachauri) is a spicy snack popular in North India. It is usually accompanied with a curry made of potatoes and pickle.

Hing Kachoris are made with ground urad dal and lot of hing ( asafetida).

Ingredients:

For dough

• 1 cup refined flour (maida)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• Salt
• 2 tbsp cooking oil

For Filling:

• 1 cup Black gram ( Sabit Urad)
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander seeds (Sabit dhania) crushed coarsely
• 1 tbsp fennel (saunf) seeds crushed coarsely
• ¼ tsp of asafetida
• Salt to taste

For Frying: Cooking oil to deep fry

Method:

• Mix the maida, wheat flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add oil, rub until fully incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add warm water; knead to make smooth soft dough. Cover with moist napkin and keep aside for one hour.
• Soak dal in water overnight. Remove the skin of the black gram by rubbing between your palms. Grind the black gram with all the spices coarsely. Keep it aside.
• Now make equal sized small balls of dough. Roll out each ball to approximately three inches in diameter. Spread about 1 tsp of ground dal on top surface of it.
• Bring the edges together to seal the filling to make a ball. Make sure most of the air escapes before the edges are sealed and ball is made. Press down the ball making it flatter. Now press each ball between the two palms with the help of oil or dry flour (like how naans are made) to a 3” disc, slightly thicker than puri.
• Heat the oil in a wok (kadhai); deep-fry the kachoris, a few at a time, on medium heat till they puff up and become crisp and golden on both sides.
• Remove and drain the excess oil on absorbent kitchen paper towels.
• Serve hot with Sabji and pickle.

Do You Know?

Asafetida reduces the growth of indigenous microflora in the gut, reducing flatulence.

In Ayurveda, asafoetida is considered to be one of the best spices for balancing the vata dosha.

Asafoetida’s use as a tenderizer and preservative for meat was known centuries ago. Asafoetida was a popular spice in Europe since the Roman times and a much-preferred spice of the Middle Ages. Iranian cuisine uses it for flavoring meatballs and in Afghanistan it is used in the preparation of dried meat. Although this spice is practically unknown in modern western cuisines, it is used in the United States and Europe in commercially prepared flavorings.