Mango Recipe: Aam Khasta Kachori

Maharaj Hemaram Choudhary, of the Rasovara chain of Rajasthani food restaurants, presents his mango-inspired creations for the season.

His recipe for Aam Khasta Kachori is a delicious way to turn mangoes into a fried snack.

The lightly tempered and delicately flavoured Mango Fajeto, a kind of kadhi, makes for an excellent weekend meal when paired with steamed rice.

Aam Khasta Kachori

Servings: 10

Ingredients

For the dough

• 2 cups maida or all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp ghee
• Salt to taste
• Water as required
• Oil for deep frying the kachoris

For the filling

• 1 ripe mango, cut into cubes
• ½ cup split yellow mung dal
• ½ tsp saunf or fennel seeds
• 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
• A pinch of hing or asafoetida
• 1 tsp red chilly powder
• ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp besan or gram flour
• ½ tsp crushed black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp oil

For serving

• Aamras or mango puree
• Imli or tamarind chutney
• Green chutney
• Fine-grained sev

Method

For the dough

• In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together to make a firm dough.
  Cover the dough with a muslin cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes.

For the filling

• In a heavy-bottomed frying pan heat the 2 tbsp oil over medium heat.
  Add the jeera, saunf and let it splutter.
  Lower the heat and add the hing and then the besan, haldi powder and roast lightly for 2-3 minutes.
  Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 5 minutes till everything is mixed well.
  Take off heat and cool to room temperature.

For the assembly

• Divide the dough into 10 equal portions.
  Roll each portion into a small ball and press lightly to flatten.
  With your thumb make a cavity in the centre of the flattened dough piece.
  Fill the cavity with a little of the stuffing and bring the sides together to seal the stuffing inside.
  Flatten it slightly and roll again lightly so you have a tiny stuffed kachori.
• Repeat this process for the balance 9 balls.
• In a wok or kadhai or heavy-bottomed, deep frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat and deep fry the kachoris till light brown and crisp.
  Drain the kachoris and transfer to a plate lined with tissue or a paper towel.
  Serve the kachoris warm, along with generous toppings of mango puree, tamarind chutney, green chutney and sev.

Mango Fajeto

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• ½ cup mango pulp
• 3 tbsp besan or gram flour
• ¼ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 3 cups sour buttermilk
• 2 tbsp oil
• Pinch of hing or asafoetida
• ½ tsp jeera or cumin seeds
• A sprig of curry leaves
• 3 green chillies, chopped
• 1 tbsp gur or jaggery
• Water as required

Method

• In a bowl, mix the mango pulp with the besan, haldi, salt and buttermilk and beat with a whisk to make a smooth mixture.
  In a wok or kadhai or heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.
• Add the hing asafoetida, jeera, curry leaves, green chillies and saute for a minute.
  Add the mango mixture and mix.
  Add the jaggery and give it a good stir.
  Add water to get the required consistency.
  Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Serve hot with steamed rice./li>

• RECIPES! RECIPES!