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Kachori & its Gujarati Twist
Kachori, Kachodi, Kachauri or Katchuri is a deep-fried Indian snack, usually available as a street food or in sweet shops. Made from flattened ball of fine flour, the kachori is usually filled with baked or cooked mixture of spicy yellow moong dal or urad dal, besan (gram flour), black pepper, red chilli powder, salt & other authentic Indian spices.
Originated from west corners of India, Kota Kachori from Rajasthan is probably the best tasting and most famous kachori in the state. People stop by Kota just to enjoy the delicacy and get it packed so that they can share it with their friends and family back home. Pyaaz or Pyaaj ki Kachori from Jodhpur Rajasthan, is also very popular, known for its stuffing of spicy onion potato masala mixture. Sweet take on Kachori from Jodhpur known as Mawa Kachori, invented by late Rawat Deora, is stuffed with Mawa (Dry Fruits) like Kaju (Cashew), Badam (Almond) & Pista (Pistachios), dipped in Chashni (Sugar Syrup). In Delhi, Kachori is called Khasta or Raj Kachori, often served as a street chaat along with, Imli (Tamarind), Pudina (Mint) or Dhaniya (Coriander) chutneys. In West Bengal & Bangladesh, Kochori is softer and smaller, usually made of white flour and asafetida (hing), eaten as a tea-time snack. Another variant from Bengal is the Koraishuti Kachori, which is stuffed with peas, a winter delicacy.
But the most unique, famous, and interesting kachori is from Gujarat. Usually in a round ball shape, the flour or dough is filled with stuffing of yellow moong dal, black pepper, red chilli, and ginger paste. Being a hugely popular tea-time snack, these Kachoris are mildly sweet and spicy, making it savory. The Jamnagar variant of this Kachori is made from soggy Gathiya, Papdi, Dry Fruit Nuts and other Farsan (Namkeen mixture), stuffed in the dough with other spices and deep fried. These dry Kachoris have the longest shelf life and is exported to many countries. Leftover farsan and namkeen prepared during festivals like Diwali, Holi & Eid, are used to stuff these Kachoris in the Gujarati Households. This way of reusing food as an ingredient in other recipe is quite unique and is surely enjoyed by the millions.
