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Urad Dal Kachori

Name: Urad Dal Kachori
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North Indian
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup urad dal soaked; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp fennel seeds; Red chili powder to taste; Salt to taste; Oil for deep frying

Flaky & Spiced Pastry

A deep-fried, crisp, and flaky Indian pastry filled with a savory, highly seasoned mixture of roasted urad dal and aromatic spices.

Crispy Snack Spicy Filling Street Food Favorite

About Urad Dal Kachori

Urad Dal Kachori is a quintessential Indian street food famous for its flaky crust and deeply flavorful lentil filling. The slow-fried pastry is stuffed with a dry urad dal mixture that boasts a long shelf life and incredible taste.

Cuisine

North Indian / Rajasthani

Serves

4–5 People

Cooking Time

45–50 Minutes

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
1/4 cup ghee (for dough)
1/2 cup soaked and coarsely ground urad dal
1 tbsp fennel seeds (crushed)

1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
Salt & chili powder to taste
Oil for deep frying

Preparation

1

Make Dough

Rub ghee into flour and knead a soft dough; let it rest.
2

Roast Filling

Sauté the coarsely ground dal with spices until dry and fragrant.
3

Portion

Divide dough and filling into equal small balls.
4

Stuff

Flatten a dough ball, place filling inside, and seal the edges.
5

Flatten

Gently press or roll the stuffed ball into a thick disc.
6

Slow Fry

Deep fry on very low heat until exceptionally flaky and golden.
7

Serve

Drain excess oil and serve warm.

Pro Tip

The secret to a perfectly flaky, market-style kachori crust is getting the 'moyen' (fat to flour ratio) right and frying at the correct temperature. Ensure the ghee is rubbed thoroughly into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs before adding water. Crucially, the oil for frying must be barely warm when you drop the kachoris in; slow frying on a low flame allows the crust to crisp up beautifully without blistering.