Matar Kachori
Matar ki kachori is a delightful, crispy deep-fried pastry filled with a savory and spiced green peas stuffing. In Hindi, matar translates to green peas, and Kachori refers to a deep-fried and flaky pastry.
Ingredients
For Pastry
- 1 cup all purpose flour – 125 grams, can also use whole wheat flour or both the flours in half-half ratio
- 2 tablespoons oil – I used sunflower oil, can use ghee
- 3 to 4 tablespoons water – lukewarm, add as required
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder – optional
- ¼ teaspoon salt or add as required
For Matar Kachori Stuffing
- 1 cup green peas fresh or frozen
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon fennel powder
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala or add as per taste
- ½ teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder) or add as per taste
- ½ teaspoon green chili-ginger paste or crushed or minced green chili & ginger – use about ½ inch of ginger and ½ or 1 green chili and then crush them in a mortar & pestle
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons oil – can use ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 tablespoon besan (gram flour), can use chickpea flour
- salt as required
For Frying
- 2 to 3 cups oil or as required
Instructions
Making Pastry
- In a bowl sift the flour, salt and baking powder. Add oil and mix with your fingertips to form a bread crumb like mixture.
- Add water in parts – a few tablespoons at a time. Work to a smooth and stiff or firm dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside.
Making Matar Kachori Stuffing
- Boil or steam the peas. Mash them coarsely or semi-coarsely.
- Heat oil and fry the cumin seeds till they splutter and get browned. Then add the crushed ginger-green chili paste. Fry for a minute on low heat.
- Add the coarsely mashed peas. Then add the dry spice powders and salt as required. Stir and mix well.
- Add the gram flour. Saute for a couple of minutes until the raw aroma of besan goes away.
- Check the seasoning and add some more of the spice powders or salt, if required.
Rolling Matar Ki Kachori
- Make equal sized 5 to 6 balls from the dough. Roll into 3 to 4 inch round on a dusted board.
- Add some of the stuffing in the center. Brush some water on the edges.
- Bring together all the edges and pinch them. Press the edges downwards below.
- Roll into a 4 to 5 inches kachori. Prepare all matar kachoris like these.
- Keep them covered with a wet cloth.
Frying Matar Kachori
- Now heat oil in a kadai. When the oil becomes medium hot, slid the prepared matar kachori gently and carefully into the hot oil.
- The peas kachori would start puffing up. Fry the first side until golden and crispy. Then turn over with a slotted spoon and fry the second side.
- Turn over a couple of times as needed and fry till they become golden brown and flaky from both sides. Make sure they are evenly fried.
- Drain them on kitchen paper tissues to remove excess oil. Fry the remaining batches this way and regulate the heat as needed.
- Serve matar ki kachori hot with some coriander chutney or tamarind chutney or mint chutney or any green chutney of your choice.
Nutrition
Calories: 397kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 8gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gSodium: 980mgPotassium: 234mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 424IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!