Green Pea Stuffed Puffs - Matar ki Khasta Kachori

Green Pea Stuffed Fried Puffs(Matar ki Khasta Kachori)

Winter is finally here and I'm Loving it !!!
For me, "Winter is the time for good food and warmth.... It is for times enjoyed talking with friends and family besides the fire....It is the time for Home...Pure Bliss !!!

By now, you must have understood, it's my favorite season. It's the season of comfort food of soups....piping hot dishes....cakes....tea's....n so on...Oh My My !

I'm starting my winter food journey with one of our family's all time favorite comfort food "Green Pea Stuffed Fried Puffs OR as we call in India "Matar ki Khasta Kachori ". It's a deep fried dish which is filled with a spicy and almost melt in your mouth green peas filling.
It's also a very popular dish found in the Northern part of India and In many places, it's deep fried in clarified butter.

I know you must be thinking "Deep Fried" but yes that's what comfort food is all about....But still I'm trying to make it slightly healthy by using more of whole wheat flour with a mixture                                                                                       of other ingredients and very less of ghee ;)

The dough and filling can be seperately prepared in advance and frozen for about a week in freezer.

Do give it a try, You would love it !!!
Happy Weekend ~

Deep Fried -Green Pea Stuffed Puffs (Matar ki Khasta Kachori)

Serves: 4 People

Serving Suggestion: Serve Hot Curry / Yogurt / Pickle OR Eat as it is

Tools:

Rolling Pin

Large Pan - For Deep Frying the puffs / Kachori

Large Non-Stick Pan with lid – For cooking the green pea stuffing

1 Large Bowl – For making the dough

1 Whisk / Fork – For mixing the flours

1 Medium size piece of kitchen cloth/towel/paper – For covering the dough while resting

Ingredients:

For Making The Green Pea’s Stuffing

3 Cups Green Pea’s - I’m using frozen peas, you may use fresh or frozen as per convenience.

1 Tsp Freshly Grated Ginger

¼ Cup Fresh Coriander/Cilantro - Chopped

2 Tbsp Clarified Butter(Ghee)  – You may skip this step as per taste or dietary restrictions

3 Tbsp Olive Oil – You can use any flavorless oil

¼ Tsp Asafetida Powder(Hing/Heeng)- Easily available in any Indian grocery store

1 Tsp Coriander Powder (Dhania)

1 Tsp Cumin Powder(Zeera)

2 Tsp Dry Mango Pwder(Amchur)

1 Tsp Garam Masala

½ Tsp Turmeric Powder(Haldi)

1 Tsp Red Chili Powder(Lal-Mirch)

1 Tsp Salt (As per your taste)

¼ Cup Water – As per Need

  

For Making The Puff / Khasta Kachori Dough

1.5 Cups Whole Wheat Flour(Atta)

½ Cup Plain White Flour(Maida)

½ Cup + 4 Tbsp Semolina(Suji/Sooji)

½ Tsp Baking Powder

6 Tbsp Olive Oil - Very Important Ingredient needed for making the puff crunchy

½ Tsp Carom Seeds(Ajwain)

1 Tsp Salt (As per taste)

½ Cup + 4 Tbsp Water – For making the dough

1.5 Cups Oil – For Deep Frying the Kachori

Method:

Making The Puff / Khasta Kachori Dough

In a large bowl, add the flours along with semolina, salt and carom seeds. Whisk them together for a minute.

Now add oil to this and mix with hand, till oil is evenly combined with flour and you get a courser texture. (TIP: when the oil is evenly mixed, try binding a handful of mixture and if it forms a ball shape, the mixture is done, if not, then mix for few more minutes and repeat the test)

Now add water and form a smooth and slightly tight dough for a crunchier puffs.

Cover the dough with a damp cloth/kitchen towel and keep aside for atleast 1hour.  

Making The Green Pea’s Stuffing

1. In a large non-stick pan, add 2Tbsp ghee and 3Tbsp olive oil (medium flame) and let it heat up for 2 minutes.
2. Once the oil is hot, add grated ginger, asafetida and stir for a minute.
3. Now add the green peas, give it a good stir, cover with non-stick lid and let it cook for 5-6 minutes over low flame (keep stirring every 3 minutes).
4. Now add all the spices and give it a quick stir, add water, cover the lid and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes.
5. While the peas are cooking, it will become almost mushy; just mash them further into a crumbly consistency.
6. After cooking the peas (for 9-minutes above) it will be cooked and all the spices will be evenly mixed, giving a nice aromatic smell.
7. Switch off the heat and let this mixture cool to touch.  

Making The Puff / Kachori : Picture Collage

Process of making the puff

1. Divide the already prepared dough into 14-16 equal parts and roll with hands to form round balls.
2. Take 1 dough ball and using the rolling pin, flatten it into a round shape (Size of your palm).
3. Now hold this flattened dough between your hands and form a cup shape and fill it with a spoonful of green pea mixture.
4. Seal the edges and form it into a ball again(making sure all the edges are tightly sealed).
5. Now flattened this filled dough ball into the size of your palm.
6. Follow step 2, 3, 4 and 5 till all the dough is used. 

Frying The Puff / Kachori

1. Heat 1.5 cups of oil in a large pot for deep frying the prepared kachori.(This will be heated on medium flame. This will take a good 7-8minutes).
2. Now once the oil is nicely heated, add 1 or 2 kachori into the pot and fry evenly on both sides.
3. Reduce the heat to low and cook each Kachori for about 1-2minutes (Or till they become golden brown on both sides.)
4. Once the kachori’s are cooked to your desired color(light golden or dark golden), remove them from the pot to a kitchen paper(for absorbing any extra oil).
5. Serve Hot with desired curry / pickle or fresh yogurt.