Kachori (spiced fried pastry)

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup ghee or oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Water as needed

For the filling:

• 1 cup yellow moong dal (split yellow lentils)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon amchur powder (dried mango powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Instructions

1. Rinse and soak the yellow moong dal in water for 2-3 hours. Drain the water and grind the dal to a coarse paste in a blender or food processor.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and coriander seeds. Saute until fragrant.

3. Add the ground moong dal to the pan and stir well. Add red chili powder, garam masala, amchur powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well and cook for 5-7 minutes until the dal is cooked and dry.

4. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool.

5. In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, ghee or oil, and salt. Mix well. Add water as needed to make a stiff dough.

6. Divide the dough into small balls. Roll out each ball into a small disc. Place 1-2 teaspoons of the dal mixture in the center of the disc.

7. Gently gather the edges of the disc to form a ball. Pinch the edges to seal the filling inside.

8. Flatten the ball slightly and roll it out into a small disc using a rolling pin.

9. Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.

10. Gently slide the kachoris into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides.

11. Remove the kachoris using a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

12. Serve hot with tamarind chutney or mint chutney.

Note: You can also add chopped onion, ginger, and green chili to the filling to make it more flavorful.