Urad Dal Kachori
Crispy, flaky and delicious Urad Dal Kachori is my all time favorite snack. An irresistible and yummy meal filled with savory lentil stuffing and spices. And yes, it's Vegan!!
Khasta kachoris are round puff pastry stuffed with urad or moong dal. It's one of the most loved street food of India. Kachoris of Rajasthan are famous throughout the country.
Did you get a chance to try the delicious Urad Dal Kachori or pyaaz ki kachori of Rajasthan? If not, you are missing on a mouthwatering and tempting delicacy of the North.
Make a list of lip-smacking delicacies that you must try on your next trip, and khasta kachoris are a must. Take My Word For It! Especially pyaaz ki kachori (pastry stuffed with onion stuffing) of Jodhpur. Ah-mazingly delicious!!
Just writing about it makes my mouth water. 😉 Well then, why wait? Let's move on with this recipe. Consider yourself warned - full flavor ahead and did I forget to mention that.... they are unbelievably flaky!
Now, onto the recipe!
This recipe is divided into three steps -
- Preparing the stuffing
- Making dough
- Finally assembling the kachoris and frying them.
These kachoris are filled with a savory stuffing of urad dal and aromatic Indian spices. This stuffing is also referred to as pithi ka masala which is used in making yummy pithi wali parathas. Compared to other kachoris, urad dal kachori has a longer shelf life. This stuffing can be made ahead of time.
HOW TO MAKE KHASTA KACHORIS?
Follow the step by step instructions below on how to make these kachoris. Few tips and tricks to follow -
- all the ends are sealed and squeezed together.
- Even a tiny opening will make the kachoris open up during frying resulting in a mess.
- Oil should not be too hot.
- Kachoris, when added to hot oil, should sink to the bottom of the kadahi/pan first and then float right back up.
- The secret to a crispy and flaky kachori - fry it a low flame and it STAYS crispy and crunchy for a longer period of time.
Do give this recipe a try and treat your taste buds to these yummy khasta kachoris. What more to say about this recipe - it's genuinely an indulgence at its best! These kachoris are full of flavor, rich and sinfully delicious. Try it and see the results.
They can be relished with hot tea in the morning or in the evening.
You can also prepare Kachori chaat with hot kachoris. Just top your kachoris with beaten curd, coriander chutney and Imli ki chutney (tamarind chutney) and enjoy ... drool, drool.. 
If you happen to make this dish, do share a yum picture or leave a comment below. Would love to hear from you.
Khasta Kachori
INGREDIENTS
DOUGH INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups Maida (or use 1 cup maida + 1 cup wheat flour)
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- 4 tablespoon Vegan Butter or Oil
- ½ cup Water + 2 tablespoon Water
- ½ teaspoon Ajwain/ Carrom seeds
- Salt to taste
- Oil for Frying
DAL MASALA INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup Urad Dal
- ¾ cup Besan (Chickpea flour/ Gram flour)
- 1 tablespoon Saunf (Fennel seeds)
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Ginger Powder or 1.5 teaspoon crushed ginger
- 2-3 small green chilies chopped (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Coriander powder (sukha dhaniya)
- 1 tablespoon Roasted cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon Ajwain/ Carrom seeds
- ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon Amchur Powder (Mango Powder)
- 1 tablespoon Kasoori Methi
- ½ tablespoon Deggi Mirch or Red chili Powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Hing (asofetadia)
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon Sugar (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
KACHORI MASALA PREPARATION
- Wash and clean Urad dal and soak it for about an hour or more.
- After the desired time, drain the dal and wash it again.
- Transfer soaked dal to a pan and cover the dal with water. Add salt and turmeric and bring it to a boil.
- During the boiling process, a frothy layer will rise to the top...
- Discard it.
- Keep boiling till the grains are soft and tender.
- To check if the grains are cooked - spoon out some grains and rub in between your fingertip. It should mash up easily. If it doesn't then boil the dal for another 5-7 minutes.
- By this time all the water must have dried up. But to be on the safe side, strain the dal through a strainer and allow it to sit till all the water as drained out.
- Assemble: all the spices to prepare the tempering/tadka for the cooked dal.
- In a pan add hing, mustard seeds and fennesl seeds.
- As they start to sputter, add in dal along with all the dry spices.
- Mix till all the spices are well blended.
- Add besan to this mixture and saute till besan is fully cooked. Dal mixture will look all crumbly.
- A closer look at cooked masala.
- Before stuffing the kachoris allow the mixture to cool down completely.
DOUGH PREPARATION
- In the meantime let's prepare the dough. Assemble: all the ingredients. Vegan butter can be substituted with oil. Oil works better than butter.
- Blend flour, salt, baking soda, oil/vegan butter and carom seeds together until crumbly then slowly add in water.
- Work on kneading a soft pliable dough.
- Let the dough rest for 10 -15 minutes.
- After the desired time, knead the dough for another 2-3 minutes. Dough elasticity and gluten formation is enhanced by kneading. This will also prevent the bubbles to form on cooked kachoris. The dough is ready, let's start assembling the kachoris.
ASSEMBLING KACHORI
- Heat oil in a kadai/pan. Take a golf ball size dough ball.
- Flatten the dough using a rolling pin.
- Like a small disc shaped circle.
- Place two teaspoon mixture on the flattened dough.
- Bring the two ends together, fold and pinch them together.
- Bring the top end together and join it with the two folded parts. Pinch all the ends in the center.
- Seal and secure all the ends and it will take a shape of a ball. Remove the extra dough and shape it like a round ball to get round kachoris. Round shaped kachoris will become fluffy during frying resulting in evenly browned round kachoris. (as shown in the pics above)
- If you prefer the kachoris like the market ones then flatten the kachori by gently pressing it down either with your palm or with a rolling pin.
- Flattened khasta kachori is ready. With your hands, give it a round shape.
- Drop it in the hot oil. Kachoris should sink to the bottom of the kadahi first and then float right back up. Oil should not be too hot. For khasta kachoris fry them longer in oil. Keep pressing and turning them around like a puri and the kachoris will start to puff.
- Cook it on a low flame for khasta kachoris. For me, some came out flat but the rest kachoris puffed up beautifully.
- Flip and cook until the kachori is evenly cooked and golden brown from both sides.
- Place it on a kitchen towel to drain excess oil. Flat kachoris will look like this.
- Repeat the process with rest of the kachoris.
- This recipe makes 15 small kachoris and 8 large (flat) kachoris.
- Enjoy these warm and khasta dal ki kachori with green chutney and tamarind chutney!!
- You can also prepare Kachori chaat with hot kachoris. Simply top your kachoris with beaten curd, coriander chutney and Imli ki chutney (tamarind chutney) and enjoy! Chutney links provided in the main post.
Can v use soda bi carb instead of baking soda
Rupa, they are both the same. Just different names for the same thing.
I am always get confused in cup and tsp quantity?? How one shud know about the tap and a cup quantity as everyone will have different size of cups and tsp..
Please refer to this chart for more details - https://www.ruchiskitchen.com/conversion-chart-grams-liters-gallons-cups-ounces/
Can we use moong daal in place of urad n follow d rest of d recipe ?
Sure you can.
These look absolutely delicious...had one question do I have to add baking soda? My husband is allergic to it.
Thank you Usha. 🙂
Sure you can skip that.
Very nice yummy ......everyone loved it beautifully explained thanks a ton
My pleasure. 🙂
very nice
Thank you!
Can I use self rising flour instead of plain flour and baking soda?
Sure you can!
The kachoris we're really yummy... every one liked it a lot and they were finished in minutes!!
Well explained and easy.
Thanks for sharing your experience with me. Happy to hear that you all relished the kachooris as much as we do!
Hi Ruchi wonderful recipe.. I have a party at home for 30 to 40 people. Can I make these kachoris 2-3days before the party?
Thanks Rashmi. You can make a day ahead but it all depends on the weather too.
If it is moist and humid then the kachoris may loose their crispy texture and become soggy.
hey love the recipe...this looks so tempting and yummy. I dont fill urad daal in the kachori but i soak urad daal overnight and then grind it in a paste and mix it with flour to make fluffy kachoris. But i loved this recipe too 🙂
AllThatsmom
Thanks for sharing Richa. 🙂
looks great.
Thanka Kamna. 🙂
can we use moving daal instead of urad daal?
sorry..meant to say moong dal..
Yes you can use yellow moong dal.
curious what is vegan butter? can we use ghee? I and my husband miss the kachories and will definitely try this one
Alka, vegan butter is a non-dairy or soy butter. Non-vegan option would be to use regular butter and yes you can use ghee.
I made these and guess what they were gone in two days , with just my husband and I eating.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful experience with me. Glad you liked. 🙂
Hello Ruchi,
Good recipe, tempting enough to try it sooner! Thank you for posting this recipe. The pictures for the recipe are admirable, specially discarding the froth layer and checking the cooked dal. 👏👏👏
Thank you so much for your kind words Sheetal. 🙂
These look so incredibly delicious! Thank you so much for the step by step pictures and easy directions. I will have to try making them soon 🙂
- Valentina {thebakingfairy.net}
Awesome!
Thanks Valentina. 🙂
Great work... This is what u call passion....The way u represent your receipies is so so well organised n fascinate people like me who are fond of cooking but need a mentor ... N it goes without saying that an awesome dish n seems to be very tempting
Thanks for your lovely feedback Deepika. Means a lot.
Glad to be of help. 🙂
Will be trying soon
Thanks Sonal. 🙂
yummy mouth watering
Thanks Anamika. 🙂
Very nice recipe. I tried this today and it came out very perfectly. Everyone loved the fresh kachoris and we enjoyed more because they were home made.
The ks for your efforts. 🙂
Thanks for trying the recipe Mega and sharing your wonderful feedback with me! Glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
🙂
I am looking for a Pyaz kachori recipe which is not very cumbersome. My husband loves it but I could not get a good recipe as yet.
Mega, I have not started working on this recipe yet but plan to do so pretty soon. Have taken your request on file and will keep you posted once done. Thanks again!!
Thanks Ruchi. Can you post me via email whenever you are ready with it? I am not getting email updates from the site.
Will be helpful 🙂
Sure, will keep you posted. 🙂
It looks yummy.I'll definately try this recipie...!!!
Thanks Sami and if possible share your feedback. 🙂