Matar Ki Kachori

Matar ki kachori is a flaky, crispy deep-fried pastry filled with savory, spiced green peas stuffing. In the Hindi language, matar means green peas and Kachori is a deep-fried and flaky pastry. These are like spiced empanadas. Peas Kachori served hot with some spicy coriander chutney and sweet dates chutney, is a food lover’s delight.

About Matar ki Kachori

There are many types of kachori made in the Indian cuisine. They are also a popular street food. A kachori is a stuffed round bread that is deep fried. The stuffing can vary from vegetables to lentils and even dry fruits.

They are not much different from the Samosa except for the filling and the shape. The crust of a kachori will also vary depending upon the recipe. It can be flaky, crispy or be soft.

This matar kachori has a flaky crust with a savory filling of tender green peas. This recipe can also be called Khasta matar kachori as the outer pastry is flaky and crisp. I usually make this snack when we get fresh green peas during the Indian winters.

These peas kachori are a nice warm breakfast during the winters. Yes you read it right, kachori is served as breakfast in some North Indian states. You can also serve it as a brunch or evening snack. They taste awesome with a side of green chutney and make for a filling snack.

Ingredients

For Pastry

• 1 cup all purpose flour – 125 grams, can also use whole wheat flour or both the flours in half-half ratio
• 2 tablespoons oil – I used sunflower oil, can use ghee
• 3 to 4 tablespoons water – lukewarm, add as required
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder – optional
• ¼ teaspoon salt or add as required

For Matar Kachori Stuffing

• 1 cup green peas fresh or frozen
• ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
• ½ teaspoon fennel powder
• ½ teaspoon chaat masala or add as per taste
• ½ teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder) or add as per taste
• ½ teaspoon green chili-ginger paste or crushed or minced green chili & ginger – use about ½ inch of ginger and ½ or 1 green chili and then crush them in a mortar & pestle
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons oil – can use ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 tablespoon besan (gram flour), can use chickpea flour
• salt as required

For Frying

• 2 to 3 cups oil or as required

How to make Matar ki Kachori

1: In a pan sieve 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams) with ¼ teaspoon baking powder (optional) and ¼ teaspoon salt or as required.

Instead of all-purpose flour, you can use whole wheat flour also or you can use half-half of both the flours. But remember that with whole wheat flour the texture will be slightly dense.

2: Add 2 tablespoons oil. I have used sunflower oil. You can also use ghee instead but make sure that the ghee is in a soft state and not hardened.

3: With your fingertips mix the oil evenly with the flour and form a bread crumb-like consistency.

When you press this mixture between your palms, if will form a lump and should not fall apart or break.

4: Now add 3 to 4 tablespoons of lukewarm water or as needed in parts to the flour and begin to mix and knead.

Don’t add all the water at once. Go on adding a few tablespoons of water as required and knead the dough.

5: Knead into a dough that is smooth and firm or stiff. The dough should not be sticky. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for 30 to 40 minutes.

Don’t make a soft dough like that of roti. The soft dough will make for a soft crust like that of a poori and matar kachori has a crispy crust.

Making matar kachori stuffing

6: In the meantime now prepare the filling. Boil or steam 1 cup peas. Drain any water and keep aside. You can boil the peas in a steamer or stovetop pressure cooker. The potatoes were added to some other dish.

You can use fresh or frozen peas.

7: Mash the peas to a coarse or semi-coarse consistency with a potato masher. Keep aside. You can also blend the peas in a blender or mixer grinder to a semi-coarse consistency.

8: Heat 2 teaspoons of oil. Add ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds and fry them till they splutter and get browned.

Use any neutral flavored oil. I have used sunflower oil. You can also use ghee (clarified butter).

9: Add ½ teaspoon green chili-ginger paste and fry for a minute on low heat.

To make green chili-ginger paste take about ½ inch of ginger and ½ or 1 green chili and then crush them in a mortar & pestle.

10: Add the coarsely mashed peas.

11: Add the following dry spice powders. Stir and mix well.

• ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon fennel powder
• ½ teaspoon chaat masala or add as per taste
• ½ teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder) or add as per taste

12: Add 1 tablespoon besan (gram flour) and saute for a couple of minutes until the raw aroma of besan goes away. The besan soaks up all the moisture and as a result, the stuffing mixture becomes dry. Hence making it easier to stuff and roll the peas kachori.

Instead of gram flour you can also use chickpea flour.

13: Keep the prepared peas filling aside.

Rolling matar kachori

14: Make about 5 to 6 equal-sized balls from the dough.

15: Roll into a 3 to 4 inches diameter disc with a rolling pin or using your palms flatten the ball on a lightly dusted rolling board.

16: Place the peas filling in the center of the disc. Brush the edges with water. Brushing the edges is optional. I do this so that the dough sticks very well while folding and the filling has no chance to come out.

17: Bring together all the edges in the center and join them. Then press them downwards towards the center. This step is much like the way we do for stuffed parathas. Make sure there are no cracks in the pastry dough. Or else the filling can come out while frying.

18: Flatten gently with your palms to a kachori of about 4 to 5 inches in size. You can also roll using a rolling pin, but do very gently as otherwise the pastry covering breaks.

Cover all the prepared kachori in a damp cloth and keep aside till you heat the oil.

Frying matar kachori

19: Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai (wok). Use any neutral flavored oil.

When the oil becomes medium hot, slid the prepared matar kachori gently and carefully into the hot oil.

The oil should not be very hot nor should be cold. Fry them at low to low-medium heat. You can also fry them at medium heat. Don’t overcrowd the kadai. Add as per capacity and size of the kadai so that it allows them enough space to puff while frying.

20: The peas kachori would start puffing up. Fry the first side until golden and crispy. Then turn over with a slotted spoon and fry the second side.

21: Turn over a couple of times as needed and fry till they become golden brown and flaky from both sides. Make sure they are evenly fried.

22: Drain them on kitchen paper tissues to remove excess oil. Fry the remaining batches this way and regulate the heat as needed.

Serve matar ki kachori hot or warm with coriander chutney or mint chutney or tamarind chutney. In the below photo, I served them with pomegranate chutney.