The annually awaited DURGA PUJO reaches its crescendo and bids goodbye to all the celebrations which are stacked away again until next year. With the Idol of Goddess Durga being immersed in the water, no matter how hard one tries, the heart does become a bit heavy. It brings in the feeling of parting and then waiting for one whole year until the festival returns. Though I have gone through this ritual of festivities which does come to an end on BIJOYA DASHAMI upteen number of times , since my childhood the melancholy beats in my heart still ring out loud and clear every single year, even now.
As the flurry of calls are made to convey regards to elders by wishing them "SHUBHO BIJOYA" and taking their blessings, the little ones too call to wish me and take my blessings. This tradition of wishing all whether bigger in years or younger continues until a few weeks after the idol has been immersed and the Pujas are over. It's also a ritual among Bengalis to visit each other's homes, exchange sweets and greet each other with "SHUBHO BIJOYA". So festive fares still continue to be cooked up in most homes as there is a continual flow of family and friends visiting.
Also it's the time of our BLOG HOP and the CULINARY HOPPERS have decided to make KACHORIS in tune with the ongoing festivities. KACHORI is a very popular INDIAN snack very synonmous with festivities and celebrations. I have there decided to make the traditional Bengali KORAISHUTIR KOCHURI OR GREEN PEAS KACHORI THE BENGALI WAY. This is not only a very popular snack in West Bengal but also a much sought after breakfast dish. Round discs made of refined flour are stuffed with a delicious fragrant filling made of green peas and spices and deep fried. In other words these are deep fried INDIAN Flat breads with a stuffing of green peas in them.
The Kochuris are mostly served with Cholar Dal /Chana Dal /Split skinned Bengal Gram lentil Curry or a Potato Curry. Generally Cholar Dal does not have frued potatoes in them. But when served with KOCHURI mostly small cubes of potatoes are fried and put into the Dal/Lentil Curry. The Cholar Dal takes the already powerhouse of flavours KOCHURI to greater heights of taste. Breaking a piece of the KOCHURI and dipping it into the Cholar dal and then taking a bite of it along with a green chilli oh that is the height of taste bud indulgence. The aroma of the clarified butter and Asafeotida that emanates while this is cooking, instantly works up a voracious appetite making everyone hungry.
This is one dish from BENGAL which you and your friends and family us sure to relish. So come with me and learn to make this very easy dish.
Also don't forget to check the different varieties of Kachoris by the Culinary Hoppers at the end of this post. They have brought for you Kachoris from different regions of India from Savoury to Sweet and you will surely be taken on a journey of exotic flavours along with their dishes. So do click on the links and get the recipes.
KORAISHUTIR KOCHURI/GREEN PEAS BENGALI STYLE KACHORI RECIPE :
AUTHOR : PIYALI
YIELDS : 8
CUISINE : INDIAN/BENGALI
TYPE : BREAKFAST/SNACKS
TIME : 20 MINUTES PREPARATION + 25 MINUTES COOKING
INGREDIENTS :
FOR THE DOUGH :
1) 1 Cup ( 250gms approx) Refined Flour/Maida
2) 1 Tbsp Clarified Butter/Ghee or Oil
3) 1/2 Tsp Salt
4) Water to knead the Dough
FOR THE FILLING :
1) 1 Cup Fresh Shelled Green Peas or Frozen Peas defrosted
2) 1 Tsp Ginger Paste
3) 1~2 Green Chillies chopped
4) 1 Tbsp Clarified Butter or Oil
5) 1 Tsp Fenel seeds/Saunf
6) 1/4 Tsp Hing/Asafeotida
7) 1 Tsp roasted Cumin powder
8) 1 Tsp Garam Masala Powder
9) Salt to taste
Oil for frying the Kochuri
PROCEDURE TO PREPARE KORAISHUTIR KOCHURI :
1) In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients under the heading "FOR THE DOUGH" except water evenly and nicely mix everything in the bowl with your hand. Using water little by little knead the refined flour into a dough. Let the dough rest covered for at least 15 minutes or more.
TIP : The dough should neither be hard nor too soft.
2) In a food processor or grinder grind the green peas, ginger paste and green chillies into a fine paste.
3) In a wok or pan add clarified butter/oil and when hot, add the fennel seeds and let them crackle.
4) Add Asafeotida next.
5) Add the green peas paste and sauté nicely till the green peas are cooked and the raw smell is not there.
6) Remove from heat. Add cumin and Garam masala powder and mix well. Allow the mixture to cool.
7) Take the dough out on to a working surface. As the dough is not too soft , you need not sprinkle flour on the working surface. Knead the dough for a minute and then roll it into a long log. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Take a piece of the dough and make it round by working it out and shaping it between your palms. Take a small portion of the filling ( after it is cold enough to handle) and shape it too like a ball.
TIP : The filling ball should be smaller than the dough ball in size.
8) Next either roll the dough with a rolling pin or using your hands flatten it out to form a small round disc. Place the filling in the center of the dough shaped as a round disc.
9) Bring all the sides of the dough to the center and completely enclose the filling with the dough. Again rolling it between your palms shape it back to a ball.
10) Finally place the dough with the filling on the working surface and roll it out with a rolling pin into an approximately 4 inch disc.
TIP : Normally the dough will not stick to the work surface or rolling pin. If it does apply a drop or two of oil to it. Dry flour is not used here.
11) Heat oil in a wok/kadai. When smoking hot , lower the flame wait for a minute and put one kochuri into the oil gently. I normally fry one at a time. But if you can manage fry more than one together in the wok. Once it's golden on both the sides, take out the Kachori from the oil and place it on an absorbent kitchen napkin so that all the extra oil is absorbed.
Place it on a plate and serve it piping hot with Cholar Dal/Split BENGAL Gram lentil curry.
******************************************************************************************************************************************************
1) Wash split bengal gram/chana dal thoroughly in water. Drain the water and cook the lentil/dal covered with water till it's completely cooked. Add 1 green chilli and 1/4 Tsp of salt while cooking the dal. Once cook keep aside ready to use.
*************************************************************************************************************************************************************
CHOLAR DAL/CHANA DAL/SPLIT SKINNED BENGAL GRAM RECIPE :
AUTHOR : PIYALI
SERVES : 4
CUISINE : INDIAN / BENGALI
TYPE : SIDE DISH / LENTIL CURRY
TIME : 10 MINUTES PREPARATION + 30 MINUTES COOKING TIME
INGREDIENTS :
1) 1 Cup (250 gms approx) Cholar Dal/chana dal/split skinned bengal gram
2) 1 green Chilli
3) 2 Tbsp clarified butter/ghee or oil for tempering
4) 1 Medium Sized potato chopped into small cubes
5) 1 Tsp cumin seeds
6) 2 Dry red Chillies
7) 2 small Bay leaves
8) 2 Tbsp Fresh grated Coconut or frozen grated coconut
9) 1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
10) 1Tsp garam masala powder
11) 1 Tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
12) Salt to taste
13) 2 Tsp of ghee/ clarified butter to sprinkle on top of the Dal /lentil Curry
PROCEDURE FOR MAKING CHOLAR DAL/CHANA DAL :
2) Take clarified butter/ghee in a pan. Shallow fry the potato pieces till they get a golden colour on them. Remove the potatoes from the pan. In the same oil add bay leaves, dry red chillies, whole cumin seeds and wait till the cumin seeds crackle.
3) Add grated coconut , turmeric powder and sauté for a minute.
4) Add the cooked lentils along with the water into this pan. Bring to a boil and then simmer.
5) Add Garam masala, the fried potatoes and check for seasoning. Add salt as per requirement. Keep on high flame for a couple of minutes till the Dal thickens a bit.
Transfer to the serving bowl. Sprinkle the roasted cumin powder on the top and also clarified butter. Serve hot with Kochuri.
*************************************************************************************************************************************************************
KORAISHUTIR KOCHURI/GREEN PEAS BENGALI STYLE KACHORI RECIPE :
AUTHOR : PIYALI
YIELDS : 8
CUISINE : INDIAN/BENGALI
TYPE : BREAKFAST/SNACKS
TIME : 20 MINUTES PREPARATION + 25 MINUTES COOKING
INGREDIENTS :
FOR THE DOUGH :
1) 1 Cup ( 250gms approx) Refined Flour/Maida
2) 1 Tbsp Clarified Butter/Ghee or Oil
3) 1/2 Tsp Salt
4) Water to knead the Dough
FOR THE FILLING :
1) 1 Cup Fresh Shelled Green Peas or Frozen Peas defrosted
2) 1 Tsp Ginger Paste
3) 1~2 Green Chillies chopped
4) 1 Tbsp Clarified Butter or Oil
5) 1 Tsp Fenel seeds/Saunf
6) 1/4 Tsp Hing/Asafeotida
7) 1 Tsp roasted Cumin powder
8) 1 Tsp Garam Masala Powder
9) Salt to taste
Oil for frying the Kochuri
PROCEDURE TO PREPARE KORAISHUTIR KOCHURI :
1) In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients under the heading "FOR THE DOUGH" except water evenly and nicely mix everything in the bowl with your hand. Using water little by little knead the refined flour into a dough. Let the dough rest covered for at least 15 minutes or more.
TIP : The dough should neither be hard nor too soft.
2) In a food processor or grinder grind the green peas, ginger paste and green chillies into a fine paste.
3) In a wok or pan add clarified butter/oil and when hot, add the fennel seeds and let them crackle.
4) Add Asafeotida next.
5) Add the green peas paste and sauté nicely till the green peas are cooked and the raw smell is not there.
6) Remove from heat. Add cumin and Garam masala powder and mix well. Allow the mixture to cool.
7) Take the dough out on to a working surface. As the dough is not too soft , you need not sprinkle flour on the working surface. Knead the dough for a minute and then roll it into a long log. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Take a piece of the dough and make it round by working it out and shaping it between your palms. Take a small portion of the filling ( after it is cold enough to handle) and shape it too like a ball.
TIP : The filling ball should be smaller than the dough ball in size.
8) Next either roll the dough with a rolling pin or using your hands flatten it out to form a small round disc. Place the filling in the center of the dough shaped as a round disc.
9) Bring all the sides of the dough to the center and completely enclose the filling with the dough. Again rolling it between your palms shape it back to a ball.
10) Finally place the dough with the filling on the working surface and roll it out with a rolling pin into an approximately 4 inch disc.
TIP : Normally the dough will not stick to the work surface or rolling pin. If it does apply a drop or two of oil to it. Dry flour is not used here.
11) Heat oil in a wok/kadai. When smoking hot , lower the flame wait for a minute and put one kochuri into the oil gently. I normally fry one at a time. But if you can manage fry more than one together in the wok. Once it's golden on both the sides, take out the Kachori from the oil and place it on an absorbent kitchen napkin so that all the extra oil is absorbed.
Place it on a plate and serve it piping hot with Cholar Dal/Split BENGAL Gram lentil curry.
**************************************************************************************************************************
This BLOG HOP the CULINARY HOPPERS heightened the ongoing festivities by cooking up a very festive and much loved fare KACHORI. It was a fiesta of sorts as the variety was simply outstanding. You had kachoris from different parts of India, healthy baked Kachori for guiltless indulgence and also a sweet Kachori for taking the fervour and celebrations to another level.
Dear friends come and join this carnival of flavours with the Culinary Hoppers. You can get all the recipes below by clicking on the individual links.
KHASTA KACHORI BY SHUBHA AUTHOR OF SHUBHA'S KITCHEN
Dear friends come and join this carnival of flavours with the Culinary Hoppers. You can get all the recipes below by clicking on the individual links.
KHASTA KACHORI BY SHUBHA AUTHOR OF SHUBHA'S KITCHEN
No comments:
Post a Comment