Bengali cuisine is truly rich, both in flavor and in dishes and preparations. Many of them are made from vegetables, legumes and greens, which provide nutrients. Although one of its characteristics is spiciness, if you are not a big fan of this flavor enhancer you can control it a little, although the ideal would be to taste these dishes with all the explosion of flavors that they mean. Proof of this is this Koraishutir Kochuri or Matar Ki Kachori or Peas Kachori, where it is served as a snack.
Street food, Kachori is traditional in India. These are delicious little rolls or fritters that are served as an appetizer there, and are filled with vegetables or legumes, such as chickpeas or lentils. They are spectacularly good and suitable for vegans. They are even perfect for children (too much spice and heat, of course), as they are a different way of introducing vegetables into the menu.
I really like these simple Indian cuisine appetizers, which are also very healthy and light. This delicious appetizer is ideal to eat both hot and cold. On the other hand, if you are one of those people who does not like vegetables in excess, you have to try this recipe because it allows us to eat vegetables without giving up flavor or incredible textures.
Koraishutir Kochuri are simple, crispy, golden dough balls filled with pea paste, enriched with spices, predominantly cinnamon. A very tempting combination. The original recipe is a bit spicy, but like all the recipes we present, you can adapt it to your tastes.
They require some work, especially the manual stretching of the dough and filling. The other steps can be sped up by using a food processor. I have prepared the filling and the dough with the help of Thermomix, to save work.
Matar Ki Kachori is one of the traditional Ram Navami recipes. I accompanied the Matar Ki Kachori with a carrot chutney and panakam, a refreshing drink from South Indian cuisine. In fact in South Indian cuisine chutneys are made with vegetables like capsicum, cabbage, beetroot, sweet potato and pumpkin etc.
Recipe details
Category: Appetizers, Starters
Difficulty: Intermediate
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the filling:
1 piece of 2 cm approx. of peeled fresh ginger.
1 fresh green chilli
300 grams of frozen peas
3 tablespoons of sunflower oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 turmeric powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground chili.
For the dough:
150 grams of regular wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
85 grams of hot water
Instructions
Dough preparation:
Mix the ingredients with a food processor or by hand. The water must be very hot when added. With your hands greased with a little oil, form a ball and let it rest for a few minutes.
Filling preparation:
1. Mash the chilli and ginger in a mortar. Blend the defrosted peas using a food processor or blender.
2. Sauté the mustard seeds in the oil in a saucepan with a lid to prevent splashing. Let the seeds start to crackle and open, then add the ginger and chilli paste. Cook over medium heat for two minutes.
3. Add the pea paste and cook for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the spices and salt to taste. Cook for 2 minutes. The trick is to make the dough lose moisture, but to keep the green color of the peas. Then set aside and let cool.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200ºC and prepare a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and greased with sunflower oil.
5. Cut the dough into 10-12 pieces, more or less equal. Form dough into balls and stretch them out on a floured table until they are very thin. Fill each piece with a generous spoonful of the pea filling, fold the edges up, sealing well with your fingers. Shape them into rounds and place them on the oiled baking tray, with the folds facing down.
6. When you're done with the dough, brush the surface of the balls with a pinch of oil so they brown nicely. Bake at 200ºC for about 15 or 20 minutes (or until golden).
7. Set aside and serve, accompanied by Greek yogurt and a few slices of red onion.
