Kachoris with Lilva Tuver and Masoor Dall

Hot and spicy Kachoris are one of my favourite snacks  Kachoris can be made with lots of different fillings but I usually make them with mung dall. This time, I decided to make them with fresh lilva tuver (fresh pidgeon peas) and masoor dall to make a change. Lilva tuver kachoris are quite popular in Gujarat. You can also bake these in over to serve as canapés at a party, or as part of any feast.

Ingredients for 12 kachoris

• 1 cup of pink masoor dall
• 1 cup of lilva tuver (available frozen in Tesco’s and other Indian grocery stores)
• 1 onion
• handful of green coriander
• A tablespoon of  ginger paste
• 1.5 litres sunflower oil for frying
• 2-3 tbls of cooking oil
• 1½ cups of plain flour for making the kachori’s pastry

Spices:

• 2 tsps cumin seeds
• 2 sticks of cinnamon
• 3 cloves
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 to 3 green chilies(optional)
• 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1-2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon and cloves mixture

Method:

1.  Wash the tuver and lilva tuver and allow to soak for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Heat one tbls of  oil and add in the dry cumin, cloves and cinnamon.  Strain the lilva tuver and masoor dall and add them to the oil.  Add the salt, sugar, chili powder and  ginger paste and stir.  Add half a cup of water cover the mixture and allow it to cook until the dall softens.  This could take 10 – 12  minutes.

3.  Chop the Onions and stir fry them in a tablespoon of  oil. Once the onions soften, add them to the cooked kachori filling.  Also add  some chopped coriander,  lemon juice, ground cinnamon and cloves mixture to it and mix well.   Allow the mixture to cool.

Now prepare the pastry dough

4. Sieve the dough and add in 1½ tablespoons of coconut oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Adding the bit of extra oil to the dough helps to make the outer pastry crisp but nice and flaky too.  Using warm water, prepare the dough. The dough should be pliable and not be too firm.  Cover and allow the dough to rest for half an hour.

5.  Divide the dough into 12 small balls

6. Also divide the kachori filling into 12 small balls.

7.  Now take a small amount of dough and roll it out in a small circle.  Place  the kachori filling in the middle of the circle.  Picking the edge of the dough circle, try and join all the edges together to form a ball.  Finish making all the kachoris.

8.   Fry the Kachori in hot oil.  Once you add the kachori to the hot oil,  turn the heat down and allow them to cook slowly until nice and golden brown.

9.  Serve the kachoris with your favourite dip.

How do you make your kachoris? Do you have a favourite filling? Do share!!