Make your Holi celebration extraordinary with these traditional dishes by Maharaj Jodharam Choudhary of the Khandani Rajdhani restaurant group, which has outlets all over India.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Khandani Rajdhani
Green Peas Kachori
Servings: 10-15
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 cups maida or all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup ghee
- ½ cup hot water
For the stuffing
- 1½ cup fresh or frozen mattar or green peas, coarsely ground
- Ghee for frying + oiling the plate
- ¼ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- ½ tsp lal mirchi or red chilly powder
- ½ tsp jeera or cumin powder
- ½ tsp dry ginger powder
- 1 tsp dhania or coriander powder
- 1 tsp crushed saunf or fennel
- 1 tsp amchur or dry mango powder
- Salt as per taste
- A ping of hing or asafoetida
- ½ cup chopped spring onions
For serving
- Tamarind chutney
- Green chutney
- Deep-fried red chillies
Method
For the dough
- In a bowl mix the maida with the salt.
Add the ghee slowly and use your hands to mix till you get a crumbly mixture.
Add hot water, one spoon at a time, to soften the mixture as you knead it into a smooth dough.
Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
For the stuffing
- Pour the ghee in a thick-bottomed frying pan or kadhai or wok and place it over slow heat.
Once the ghee gets hot, add all the spice powders.
Add the coarsely ground green peas with a pinch of salt and asafoetida.
Mix well and keep stirring for 3 to 4 minutes or until the mixture cooks and add the spring onions. - Rub some ghee on your palms and make small balls of this mixture. Keep aside.
Assembly and frying
- Lightly knead the dough, roll it out into a long log and cut it into equal portions.
Using your palms, flatten the cut out portions into small puris.
Add one tsp of the peas filling in the centre of the puri, and make a small potli (bag) by bringing the edges towards the center to seal the filling. Pinch off any excess dough. - Stuff and prepare all the kachoris in this way and arrange them on a greased plate.
- Heat the ghee in a a deep pan or wok or kadhai over medium heat.
When the ghee is hot enough, ease the kachoris in, one at a time.
Keep flipping them over to get an even colour.
It will take about 8 to 9 minutes for the kachoris to cook and turn golden brown. - Adjust the heat between low and medium, depending on the number of kachoris in the kadhai. Deep fry in small batches to get an even colour.
- Once the kachoris are done, place them on a plate lined with tissue to drain off the excess ghee.
- Serve the kachoris with tamarind chutney, green chutney and deep fried chillies.
Mattar Khasta Roll
Servings: 5-6
Ingredients
For the peas stuffing
- 1 cup fresh or frozen mattar or green peas, boiled
- ¼ cup grated coconut
- ¼ tsp lal mirchi or red chilly powder
- ¼ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- ½ tsp dhania or coriander powder
- ½ tsp amchur or dried mango powder
- ½ tsp green chilly-ginger paste
- ¼ tsp jeera or cumin powder
- 2 tsp ghee
- Salt as per taste
For the dough
- 1 cup maida or all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp ghee
- ¼ cup warm water
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- Oil for frying
For serving
- Tamarind chutney
- Green chutney
Method
For the dough
- In a large bowl sieve together the maida, salt and baking powder.
Add the ghee and mix.
Add the warm water, little by little, and knead into a tight dough.
Cover with a damp cloth and set aside.
For the stuffing
- In a frying pan or wok or kadhai, heat the ghee.
Add the jeera and let it crackle.
Add the green chilly-ginger paste and saute for a few minutes.
Add the boiled peas with all the spice powders and salt.
Mix and mash for a few minutes.
Add the grated coconut and give it a good stir.
Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool. - Divide the dough into 5 to 6 balls. Roll them out into small puris.
Add the stuffing in the center of the rolled dough and brush the edges with water.
Seal the puri by rolling it vertically. Dip your fingers in a bowl of water and seal the edges. - Heat oil for frying in a deep pan or wok or kadhai.
Over medium heat, fry the rolls until they are golden brown. - Serve hot with coriander and tamarind chutney.
Lilva Kachori
Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 300 gm fresh green tuvar dana or pigeon peas, available in the cold season
- 1 tbsp ginger chilly paste
- Salt to taste
- A pinch of jeera or cumin seeds
- A pinch of hing or asafoetida
- ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tbsp green dhania or cilantro or coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 tbsp oil
For the dough
- 300 gm maida or all-purpose flour
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp ghee
- Water as per your requirement
- 1 tsp of oil + oil for frying
For serving
- Green chutney
- Sweet chutney
Method
For the dough
- In a bowl sieve the maida. Add the salt and ghee and mix.
Add the water bit by bit to make dough.
Add oil and knead well. Keep aside.
For the stuffing
- In a mixer, grind the tuvar dana to a coarse paste.
- Heat oil in a frying pan or wok or kadhai over slow heat.
Add the jeera and when it begins to splutter, add asafoetida and haldi powder.
Add the tuvar dana, ginger chilly paste and salt.
Cover the pan and cook till the mixture becomes soft.
Add garam masala and lemon juice.
Cook for 2-3 minutes more and add the coriander leaves.
For the kachori
- Make medium-sized balls of the dough and roll it out into small puris.
- Fill stuffing in the puri and shape it like potli (bag) by bringing the edges towards the centre and sealing it.
- Heat the oil in a deep pan or small kadhai over medium heat.
Deep fry the kachoris till they are golden brown.
Serve with green chutney and sweet chutney.
ALSO SEE: Holi recipes: Khajoor Barfi and Apple Jalebi
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