Raj Kachori / Bhel Puri
Raj kachori is a popular Indian street food and a variant of the kachori, which is a deep-fried pastry filled with a variety of things. Raj kachori is a beloved street food in India, where it originated. It fills the essence of Indian chaat culture, which celebrates the combination of various flavors and textures in a single dish. Raj kachori has gained popularity and is sometimes served as a main course due to its large size and variety of masala fillings.
Key Features
Size and Shape: Raj kachori is larger compared to regular kachoris, resembling a size of a bowl. It is typically crispy on the outside and hollow inside, allowing for generous stuffing.
Preparation: The outer shell or crust of Raj kachori is made from a dough of plain flour (maida), semolina (sooji), and sometimes a pinch of baking soda to aid in puffing up when fried.
- The dough is rolled out into thin circles, similar to pooris, and deep-fried until golden brown and crispy.
- Stuffing:Once fried, the hollow kachori shells are filled with a variety of savory and tangy ingredients.Common stuffing includes boiled potatoes, sprouted moong beans (green gram), chickpeas, moong dal pakodas (fritters), yogurt (curd), various chutneys such as green coriander chutney and sweet tamarind chutney, pomegranate seeds, and sev (crunchy noodles).
- The stuffing is layered into the kachori shell, ensuring a mix of textures and flavors in every bite.
- Toppings and Garnishes:
- Raj kachori is often topped with additional yogurt, chutneys, spices such as cumin powder, black salt, and red chili powder, and sometimes fresh herbs like cilantro.
- The final garnish of sev adds a crispy texture and enhances the overall taste and look.
- Serving and Enjoyment:
- Raj kachori is typically served immediately after assembly to maintain its crispiness and freshness.
- It is enjoyed as a flavorful and filling snack, often found at street food stalls and chaat corners across India.
Odisha Bhel Puri/ Raj Kachori
Ingredients
- For the dough:
- Plain flour maida – 1 cup
- Semolina sooji – ¼ cup
- Baking soda – 2 pinches
- Water – as needed to make a soft dough
- For frying:
- Oil – for deep frying
- For stuffing:
- Moong dal green gram pakodas – soaked, prepared, and drained
- Boiled potatoes – chopped
- Boiled green grams moong
- Yogurt curd – whisked
- Green coriander chutney
- Sweet tamarind chutney
- Pomegranate seeds
- Sev
- Salt
- Cumin seeds
- Black rock salt
- Red chili powder
Instructions
- Preparing the Dough:
- In a bowl, mix together plain flour, semolina, and baking soda.
- Gradually add water and knead into a soft dough, similar to poori dough.
- Cover the dough with a cotton cloth and let it rest.
- Shaping and Frying the Kachoris:
- Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Divide the dough into small lemon-sized balls.
- Roll each ball into a smooth round ball.
- Roll out each ball into a thin circle, similar to a poori, ensuring it’s not too thin at the center.
- When the oil is hot, gently slide a rolled kachori into the oil.
- Press lightly with a slotted spoon so it puffs up.
- Fry until golden brown and crisp, flipping once to ensure even frying.
- Remove from oil and drain excess oil on paper towels. Let them cool completely.
- Stuffing the Kachoris:
- Once cooled and crispy, gently break a small opening in each kachori.
- Stuff each kachori with:
- Moong dal pakodas
- Chopped boiled potatoes
- Boiled green grams
- Whisked yogurt (curd)
- Green coriander chutney
- Sweet tamarind chutney
- Pomegranate seeds
- Sev
- Sprinkle with salt, cumin powder, black salt, and red chili powder to taste.
- Drizzle a little more yogurt and sweet chutney over the stuffed kachori.
- Serving:
- Serve the stuffed Raj kachoris immediately after assembling.