Urad dal Kachori recipe/ Deep fried lentil puffs

Kachoris are mainly made with refined flour. A spicy stuffing of lentils or vegetable are stuffed in the small portion of dough and rolled into medium thick disc and then deep fried in hot oil.

Urad dal khasta kachori is very popular in the state of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The white lentil (urad dal) is soaked and coarsely ground and then mix of different spices are added in the filling. This crisp and delicious urad dal khasta kachori is best served with special north Indian style aloo ki sabzi and khatti methi kaddu ki sabzi.

Urad dal kachori is a specialty of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, what missal pav is to Mumbai, aloo paratha and lassi to Punjab and Sambhar and idli to Chennai; the essential heavy and hearty breakfast.

This kachori has a good shelf life; it can be consumed for 3 days.

Step by step recipe of Urad dal Kachori:

Rinse and wash ½ cup dal 2 to 3 times. Soak urad dal in water for at least 2 hours.

Drain and keep aside.

Take 2 cups refined flour in a bowl; add ½ tsp salt and ¼ cup oil. 

Combine and rub the oil well in the flour. 

Add water to make soft dough and keep it aside. (I used ½ cup and 3 tbsp of water to knead the dough)

Leave the dough for about 15 to 20 minutes. After that knead it to smooth. 

Stuffing-

Coarsely grind the soaked dal in a grinder, without water or just 1-2 tsp water, if required. 

Heat oil in a pan and put  ½ tsp cumin seeds and 2 pinch of asafoetida (hing).

The stove heat should be low. Add 1 tsp coarsely ground fennel powder and 2 green chilies (finely chopped or ground)

Add 1 tsp coriander powder and 1 inch piece of ginger (grated) into it. 

Add ½ tsp red chili powder and ¼ tsp garam masala.

Roast the masala for few seconds and add the ground dal to it. 

Add salt as per taste. Mix the dal well with the masala and roast it.  

Turn off the flame once the dal turns brown in color and add coriander leaves into the mixture.The stuffing is ready. (i didnt had coriander leaves that day)

*If using soda bi carb, add it to this mixture just before you start making kachoris.

To make kachori-

Heat oil in a deep pan to fry kachori. Let the oil heat to desired temperature. Meanwhile, take a small walnut sized ball of the dough. Flaten it and stuff 1 tsp mixture in it and seal the edges.

Roll the stuffed ball into a flat thick disc (kachori). Make sure you roll it with light hands, else the filling will come out of the ball.

Once oil is ready, put this kachori into the oil and turn down the flame to medium. 

Every few seconds flip kachoris so that they are cooked from both sides. 

Fry until both sides are brown and crispy and the kachoris is puffed completely.

Take it out in a plate and make rest of the kachoris in the similar manner.

Below is the printable version of this recipe.

Urad dal kachori recipe:

Urad dal kachori Prep time Cook time Total  10 min  30 min 40 min Urad dal kachori – deep fried lentil shells. AUTHOR: Monali RECIPE TYPE: Snack/Breakfast CUISINE: North Indian SERVES: 4-6 INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup=237 ml) For dough- 2 cup all-purpose flour/maida ¼ cup Oil ½ tsp salt or as required ½ cup + 3 tbsp. water or as required For stuffing- ½ cup urad dal 1 tbsp. Oil 2 pinch of Hing(asafoetida) ½ tsp Cumin seeds(Jeera) 1 tsp Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder) 1 tsp fennel powder (sauf powder) 2 green chili 1 inch piece of ginger (adrak) ½ tsp red chili powder ¼ tsp garam masala ½ tsp salt or as per taste ¼ tsp baking soda (optional) Oil for deep frying DIRECTION Rinse and wash the dal 2 to 3 times. Soak urad dal in water for at least 2 hours. Drain and keep aside. Take refined flour in a bowl, add salt and oil. Mix well. Add water to make soft dough and keep it aside. Leave the dough for about 15 to 20 minutes. Stuffing- Coarsely grind the soaked dal in a grinder. Heat oil in a pan and put cumin seeds, coriander powder, anise powder, green chili and ginger into it. The stove heat should be low. Roast the masala for few seconds and add the ground dal to it. Mix the dal well with the masala and roast it. Turn off the flame once the dal turns brown in color and add coriander leaves and garam masala into the mixture. The stuffing is ready. If using soda bi carb, add it to this mixture just before you start making kachoris. To make kachori- Heat oil in a deep pan to fry kachori. Let the oil heat to desired temperature. Meanwhile, take a small walnut sized ball of the dough. Flaten it and sttuff 1 tsp mixture in it and seal the edges. Roll the stuffed ball into a flat tick disc (kachori). Make sure you roll it with light hands, else the filling will come out of the ball. Once oil is ready, put this kachori into the oil and turn down the flame to medium. Every few seconds flip kachoris so that they are cooked from both sides. Fry until both sides are brown and crispy and the kachoris is puffed completely. Take it out in a plate and make rest of the kachoris in the similar manner. NOTES Soda bi carb is added to ensure that all the kachoris puff up well. You can easily fry 3-5 kachoris at a time, depending upon the size of the pan. If you put the kachoris in hot oil and if it puffs up before turning the side, chances are that the daal masala will stick only to the one side of the kachori. But if you turn it over once in the oil before it starts puffing then the masala will be on both the sides. SERVING SUGGESTION Serve khasta urad dal kachori hot with green coriander chutney. Traditionally it is served with Mathura ke dubki waley aloo ki sabzi and khatti methi kaddu ki sabzi.