Khasta Kachori With Moong Dal

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1. 1Step 1: Take 2 cups all purpose flour (maida) and salt in a bowl or pan. Mix very well.
2. 2Step 2: Add ¼ cup ghee. Ensure the ghee is in a semi-solid flowing state and not hard.
3. 3Step 3: With your fingertips mix the ghee evenly with the flour for a few minutes till you get a breadcrumb like texture in the mixture.
4. 4Step 4: Add water in portions. Mix first and then knead to smooth dough that is semi-soft or soft. Do not make the dough too soft.
5. 5Step 5: Cover the dough with a moist muslin or kitchen cotton towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
6. 6Step 6: Rinse ½ cup moong dal in a bowl. Soak moong dal with enough water for 2 hours.
7. 7Step 7: Later drain all the water very well and add the soaked moong lentils in a grinder jar.
8. 8Step 8: Grind to a roughly coarse mixture without adding any water.
9. 9Step 9: Heat a frying pan or sauté pan. Add ½ tablespoon ghee.
10. 10Step 10: Once the ghee melts, keep the heat to the lowest or turn off the flame.
11. 11Step 11: Add all the spice powders one by one.
12. 12Step 12: Keep the heat to its lowest and mix very well. Do make sure that the ground spices do not burn.
13. 13Step 13: Then add the coarsely ground moong dal. Also add salt and 1 pinch of asafoetida.
14. 14Step 14: On a low heat mix very well.
15. 15Step 15: Saute with non-stop stirring for 3 to 4 minutes on a low heat. Check the taste and if required you can add more spice powders like red chili powder and mango powder or salt. Let the mixture become warm or cool down.
16. 16Step 16: Now make small balls from this moong dal mixture. You can also spread some oil on your palms while making the balls. Keep aside.
17. 17Step 17: After 30 minutes, lightly knead the dough.
18. 18Step 18: Roll the dough into a log. Now cut the dough in equal portions. This will depend on the number of moong dal mixture balls that were made.
19. 19Step 19: Take a portion of the cut dough. Roll to a neat ball and then flatten it with your fingers. Keep the edges thin while flattening. You can also use a rolling pin to flatten.
20. 20Step 20: Now place the moong dal stuffing ball on the dough. Flatten the moong dal stuffing ball gently by pressing it.
21. 21Step 21: Bring the edges of the dough together and join them at the center. Excess dough can be pinched off and removed.
22. 22Step 22: Flatten the top and then gently roll the kachori with a rolling pin to get a medium thick kachori. Stuff and prepare all kachori this way. Keep them covered under a moist muslin or cotton cloth, so that they do not dry up.
23. 23Step 23: Heat oil for frying in a kadai (wok). Keep the heat to a low or medium-low. When the oil is just hot enough, you can add 2 to 3 kachoris or more depending on the size of the kadai.
24. 24Step 24: When the kachori start puffing up, then gently nudge each kachori with a slotted spoon, so that they puff up well.
25. 25Step 25: When the base becomes light golden, then gently turn them over. The frying takes about 7 to 9 minutes. So one has to be patient.
26. 26Step 26: Continue to fry on a low to medium-low heat till they become golden. While frying you can turn them often to get an even color. Regulate the temperature from low to medium-low as required.
27. 27Step 27: Fry till they become golden and nicely crisp from outside. Once the kachoris are fried well, the oil will also stop sizzling.
28. 28Step 28: Remove with a slotted spoon and place Khasta Kachori on kitchen paper towels so that excess oil is absorbed. Fry the remaining kachoris in batches this way.
29. 29Step 29: Serve Khasta Kachori warm accompanied with some fried & salted green chilies, tamarind chutney and green chutney. You can also serve them with chili garlic chutney or sweetened curd (yogurt).