Crispy, flaky Kachori are truly the perfect snack. This classic Khasta Kachori recipe features a savory lentil stuffing and homemade dough, all bundled up together and fried to perfection. Here you’ll find step-by-step instructions with photos (and tips!) to make a delicious homemade version of your favorite Indian street snack.
About Kachori Recipe
Kachori is a very popular snack that is enjoyed throughout India. The crispy little hand-pie-like circles have an amazing amount of flavor packed in, and are just the right size for eating on the go. It’s no wonder why these are so loved!
Like many street foods, you are sure to find different varieties of snacks depending on which region you are in. This Khasta Kachori recipe is commonly found in North India, and is made with a moong dal stuffing.
The moong lentils give a great texture and deep, earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with the vibrant spices. In this Kachori recipe the mung lentils are soaked, blended with spices, and cooked to a rich paste.
This is formed into balls and wrapped within pieces of homemade dough, and rolled and flattened to that classic thick disc shape. Kachori are then deep fried golden and served warm with any number of sides for dipping.
Now, granted, this is a rather complicated and time-consuming recipe (similar to a Samosa). However, I promise once you take that first crunchy, flaky bite of fried savory goodness you’ll completely agree they are worth the effort!
How to Make Kachori Recipe
Again, making Khasta Kachori does take time to get right. But with my detailed steps and expert tips, you are sure to make this nearly foolproof Kachori recipe with ease!
Prepare Dough
1. Take 2 cups all purpose flour (maida) in a bowl or pan. Add ½ teaspoon salt or as per taste.
2. Add ¼ cup ghee. Make sure the ghee is in a semi-solid molten state as you see in the photo below.
3. With your fingertips mix the ghee evenly with the flour for a few minutes.
4. You have to mix well, till you get a breadcrumb like texture in the flour.
To check if the ghee has evenly mixed with the flour – take a small portion of this mixture in your palms and press it. When the mixture is pressed, it should not fall apart or break.
5. Next add ½ cup water in portions.
6. Mix first and then begin to knead.
7. Knead to a smooth dough adding water bit by bit as needed. The dough can be semi-soft to soft. But do not make it too soft.
Tip 1: If the dough becomes sticky, then add some flour.
Tip 2: If the dough looks dry, then add some more water and knead.
8. Cover the kachori dough with a moist folded muslin/cheesecloth or a kitchen cotton towel. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Make Moong Dal Stuffing
9. Rinse ½ cup of yellow moong dal in a bowl. Soak moong lentils for 2 hours in enough water.
10. Later drain all the water very well and add the soaked moong lentils in a grinder jar.
11. Using the pulse option, lightly crush or make a roughly coarse mixture of the moong lentils. Also do not add any water while grinding or blending.
Do not grind too much or make a fine paste.
12. Then heat a frying pan or a sauté pan. Add ½ tablespoon ghee and keep heat to a low.
13. Once the ghee melts, keep the heat to the lowest or turn off the heat. Add all the ground spice powders one by one.
First add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon red chilli powder.
14. Then add ½ teaspoon cumin powder and 1 teaspoon coriander powder.
15. Add 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds. You can also use fennel powder.
16. Add ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder (saunth powder).
Instead of ginger powder, you can also use ½ teaspoon finely chopped ginger. Some chopped green chilies can also be added.
17. Now add 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder).
18. Keep the heat to its lowest and mix very well.
19. Do make sure that the spices do not burn.
20. Then add the coarsely ground moong dal. Also add salt and 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing).
21. On a low heat mix very well.
22. Sauté with nonstop stirring for 3 to 4 minutes on a low heat. Check the taste and if required you can add more spice powders like red chili powder and mango powder.
Let the moong dal stuffing become warm or cool at room temperature.
23. Now make small balls from this moong dal mixture. You can also spread some oil on your palms while making the balls. Cover and keep aside.
Assembe, Stuff, Shape
24. After 30 minutes, lightly knead the dough. Then roll the dough into a log.
25. Now cut the dough in equal portions. This will depend on the number of moong dal mixture balls that were made. With this recipe, you will get about 9 to 10 kachoris.
26. Take a portion of the cut dough. Roll to a neat ball between your palms and then flatten it with your fingers.
Keep the edges thin while flattening. You can also use a rolling pin (belan) to flatten.
27. Now place the moong dal stuffing ball on the dough. Gently press to flatten the moong dal stuffing ball.
28. Bring the edges of the dough together and join them at the center. Excess dough can be pinched off and removed.
29. Press and then flatten the top. Do check the video above to see how the stuffing and shaping is done.
30. Now gently roll the kachori with a rolling pin to get a medium thick kachori. Stuff and prepare all kachoris this way.
Keep them covered under a moist muslin/cheese cloth or cotton napkin, so that they do not dry up.
Deep Fry Khasta Kachori
31. Heat oil for frying in a kadai (wok) and keep the heat to a low or medium-low. When the oil is just hot enough, you can add 2 to 3 kachoris or more depending on the size of your kadai (wok) or pan. Make sure the oil is not medium hot or very hot.
To check the temperature while frying, add a small piece of dough to the oil. If it comes slowly and steadily to the surface, then the kachoris are ready to be fried.
Tip: If the stuffed kachori comes quickly, the oil is too hot. So lower the heat. If it does not come on the surface, then the oil is cold. So increase the heat.
32. When the kachoris start puffing up, then gently nudge each kachori with a slotted spoon, so that they puff up well.
33. When the base becomes light golden, then gently turn them over. The frying takes about 7 to 9 minutes. So one has to be patient.
34. Continue to fry on a low to medium-low heat till the kachoris become golden. While frying you can turn them often to get an even color. Regulate the temperature from low to medium-low as needed.
35. Fry the kachoris till they become golden and nicely crisp from outside. You will also see that the oil has stopped sizzling and bubbling once the kachoris are fried.
36. Remove with a slotted spoon draining the excess oil from the slotted spoon back in the kadai (wok).
Place khasta kachori on kitchen paper towels so that excess oil is absorbed. Fry the remaining kachori in batches this way.
37. Serve Khasta Kachori warm with your favorite accompaniments for dipping paired with a few fried and salted green chillies. They are great to eat on their own as a snack, or pair well with a thin spiced potato curry.
Expert Tips
- The trick to get a terrifically golden and flaky crust is to fry the kachori low and slow. You want to keep the heat to low or medium-low so that the oil is just to it’s frying point and not much hotter.
This does take a bit more time but ensures that the outer layer doesn’t cook too fast and burn. To check the temperature, pinch off a tiny bit of dough and add it to the oil: If it doesn’t bubble up at all the temp isn’t hot enough.
If it bubbles rapidly and immediately comes to the surface you oil is likely too hot. Turn the heat down a bit and wait several minutes before testing again. - For that lovely soft inner texture and a crispy flaky outside texture, make sure that the proportion of fat to flour is just right when making the dough.
If there’s not enough ghee or oil, the kachori crust will be too dry. Too much and the dough will soak up an unpleasant amount of oil when fried. - The thickness of the kachori should be medium, and not too thin or thick. Thin kachori will become too crisp and get hard. On the other hand, thick kachori may have undercooked dough from inside.
FAQs
In this recipe I use organic all-purpose flour (maida). But you can use a mix of both all-purpose and whole wheat flour.
Classic accompaniments to serve this snack include Tamarind Chutney, Green Chutney, or Garlic Chutney. A creamy and refreshing curd is also delicious! Serve with a thin potato curry or other saucy dishes for a more flavorful bread-like side.
These flaky, crunchy, savory treats are best when enjoyed freshly fried and warm. However, they will keep well for up to 3 to 4 days.
Cool the kachori completely and place in a sealed container, and store in the fridge until ready to enjoy. Reheat by crisping in an oven or toaster for a few minutes.
More Scrumptious Kachori Variants!
Indian Street Food Recipes
North Indian Food Recipes
Indian Street Food Recipes
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Kachori Recipe | Khasta Kachori With Moong Dal
Ingredients
For dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (maida), 250 grams
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup Ghee or oil
- ½ cup water or add as required
For moong lentil stuffing
- ½ cup moong dal
- ½ tablespoon Ghee
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds or fennel powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
- salt as required
Other ingredients
- oil for deep frying, as required
Instructions
Making kachori dough
- Take 2 cups all purpose flour (maida) and salt in a bowl or pan. Mix very well.
- Add ¼ cup ghee. Ensure the ghee is in a semi-solid flowing state and not hard.
- With your fingertips mix the ghee evenly with the flour for a few minutes till you get a breadcrumb like texture in the mixture.
- Add water in portions. Mix first and then knead to smooth dough that is semi-soft or soft. Do not make the dough too soft.
- Cover the dough with a moist muslin or kitchen cotton towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Making moong dal stuffing
- Rinse ½ cup moong dal in a bowl. Soak moong dal with enough water for 2 hours.
- Later drain all the water very well and add the soaked moong lentils in a grinder jar.
- Grind to a roughly coarse mixture without adding any water.
- Heat a frying pan or sauté pan. Add ½ tablespoon ghee.
- Once the ghee melts, keep the heat to the lowest or turn off the flame.
- Add all the spice powders one by one.
- Keep the heat to its lowest and mix very well. Do make sure that the ground spices do not burn.
- Then add the coarsely ground moong dal. Also add salt and 1 pinch of asafoetida.
- On a low heat mix very well.
- Saute with non-stop stirring for 3 to 4 minutes on a low heat. Check the taste and if required you can add more spice powders like red chili powder and mango powder or salt. Let the mixture become warm or cool down.
- Now make small balls from this moong dal mixture. You can also spread some oil on your palms while making the balls. Keep aside.
Assembling, stuffing and shaping
- After 30 minutes, lightly knead the dough.
- Roll the dough into a log. Now cut the dough in equal portions. This will depend on the number of moong dal mixture balls that were made.
- Take a portion of the cut dough. Roll to a neat ball and then flatten it with your fingers. Keep the edges thin while flattening. You can also use a rolling pin to flatten.
- Now place the moong dal stuffing ball on the dough. Flatten the moong dal stuffing ball gently by pressing it.
- Bring the edges of the dough together and join them at the center. Excess dough can be pinched off and removed.
- Flatten the top and then gently roll the kachori with a rolling pin to get a medium thick kachori. Stuff and prepare all kachori this way. Keep them covered under a moist muslin or cotton cloth, so that they do not dry up.
Frying kachori
- Heat oil for frying in a kadai (wok). Keep the heat to a low or medium-low. When the oil is just hot enough, you can add 2 to 3 kachoris or more depending on the size of the kadai.
- When the kachori start puffing up, then gently nudge each kachori with a slotted spoon, so that they puff up well.
- When the base becomes light golden, then gently turn them over. The frying takes about 7 to 9 minutes. So one has to be patient.
- Continue to fry on a low to medium-low heat till they become golden. While frying you can turn them often to get an even color. Regulate the temperature from low to medium-low as required.
- Fry till they become golden and nicely crisp from outside. Once the kachoris are fried well, the oil will also stop sizzling.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place Khasta Kachori on kitchen paper towels so that excess oil is absorbed. Fry the remaining kachoris in batches this way.
- Serve Khasta Kachori warm accompanied with some fried & salted green chilies, tamarind chutney and green chutney. You can also serve them with chili garlic chutney or sweetened curd (yogurt).
Video
Notes
- Instead of ghee you can use oil for the dough.
- You can skip the step of grinding moong dal. But then you will have to cook the soaked dal adding water as needed for more time.
- You can even soak the moong dal for 3 to 4 hours.
- Spice powders can be added as per your requirements.
- Green chilies and ginger can also be added.
- Add lemon juice if you do not have dry mango powder.
- These kachori can be baked too. Bake them at 180 degrees Celsius/356 degrees Fahrenheit in a preheated oven till the crust is golden.
- Recipe can be doubled or tripled.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Kachori recipe from the blog archives first published on March 2017 has been updated and republished on August 2023.
