Pyaaz Besan ki Kachauri/Onion and Bengal Gram Stuffed Kachauri

 

You have got to try this kachauri..It is  absolutely awesome. This is something which has made quite an impression on whoever has tried it. So much so, that the word has traveled  about it among my other relatives who haven't tasted it too. This recipe is adapted from Tarla Dalal's cookbook which was gifted to me by husband soon after marriage. I was such a novice with the Delhi food terminology that time , that I didn't know what kalonji [nigella seeds] was. I knew it by other name mangrail. For a long time I used Chironji instead of Kalonji and told this to others in office too with whom I had shared the recipe. :D

And yet again, the key here is "Fennel Seeds", big ones.The one in the pic is made of  wheat flour,so it is less crispier. You can make it with maida/All purpose flour for crispier version but it is heavy too. 

I have made it countless times, and with experience I have begun to add more fennel seeds and  Besan/Bengal gram flour for awesome taste. I use the same stuffing to make stuffed parathas too.

 

Ingredients

For the dough Ingredients
2 cups wheat flour or all purpose flour
1/4 cup refined oil or ghee/clarified butter
1/2 tsp salt

For the Stuffing

2 cups very finely chopped onions.
1 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji/mangrail)
2  heaped TBSP fennel seeds[Big Saunf]
2 Bay leaves
2-3 tsp finely chopped green chillies
3-4 heaped  TBSP Bengal Gram flour [Besan]
2 tsp Coriander powder [Dhania powder]
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
3 TBSP chopped coriander Leaves
2 TBSP oil
Salt to taste
Oil  for deep-frying

 

 

Preparation 

For the Dough

• Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and knead into semi-soft dough using enough water. Knead well for 5 to 7 minutes. 

• Divide the dough into 12 equal parts and keep covered under a wet cloth.                                       

For the onion stuffing 

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add the nigella seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaves, green chillies and onions and sauté till the onions turn light brown in colour.
2. Add the gram flour, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala and salt and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. 
3. Add the chopped coriander and mix well. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Allow the mixture to cool completely.
4. Divide into 12 equal portions and keep aside. 
5. Roll out each portion of the dough into a 2 inches diameter circle.Place one portion of the onion filling in the centre of the rolled dough circle and close it from all sides.
6. Roll each filled portion into a 2 1/2" diameter circle taking care to ensure that the filling does not spill out.
7. Gently press the centre of the kachori with your thumb.Repeat with the remaining dough and filling to make 11 more kachauris.
8. Deep fry the kachauris in hot oil over a slow flame till golden brown.The kachoris should puff up like puris. These take a long time to fry as the crust is thick and needs to be cooked in the insides also.

 

Stuffed Onions

This recipe is inspired from stuffed onion recipe from 1001 Recipes by Martha Day

Ingredients

• Large Onions
• Stuffing: Your choice : I have tried two different fillings .One was Feta Cheese ,spinach and garlic. The other one was Sanjeev Kapoor's potato cups stuffing.
  

Preparation for Stuffed Onions

1. Peel the onions without cutting through the bases.Cook them in Large Pan of boiling water for 20 mins. Drain and refresh in plenty of cold water.
2. Using a small sharp knife,cut around and scoop out each central section. Keep 2-3 layers of Onion.
3. Lightly sprinkle with salt and leave onions to drain upside down.
   
4. Preheat oven to 200 C.
5. Dry the onions using tissue.
6. Fill in the stuffing of your choice using a small spoon.Arrange the onions in oiled baking tray. Sprinkle the top with grated cheese and oil. Bake for 45 min or until the onions are tender and gold.
7. Serve hot.

My personal Notes.

• If Onions are small reduce the boiling time. 10-12 mins would be enough.
• You can reuse the scooped out onions for your stuffing.
• Baking time can be reduced too.Mine were done in 30 mins. So check your onions after 30 mins if it is done.

Feta Cheese,Spinach,Garlic Stuffing

• 500g fresh spinach, blanched
• 250g Feta cheese
• Scooped out onions cut as small as you can.
• Cinnamon powder 1 and a half tsp

Reduce/Increase the above quantities according to the number onions to be stuffed.

1. Squeeze out excess water from spinach, and then roughly chop.
2. In a pan heat some oil; fry the onions until golden brown. Add the spinach, cinnamon powder. Make sure all ingredients are mixed well. cook for 1-2 mins.
3. take out from heat, mix in crumbled Feta cheese and garlic.
4. It doesn't need salt to be added. Taste first and add salt according to your taste.
   
5. Your stuffing is ready.