Date Kachori: All goodness in one bombshell …

Such a tasty and healthy snack. Crispy pastry shell encasing the goodness of fudgy dates, roasted nuts, seeds, and the warmth of cinnamon & nutmeg. All goodness in just one bombshell!

Recipe

Ingredients (Makes 45)

For dough
Plain flour 2 cups
Salt 1 tsp
Hot oil 8 tbsp
Water 1 cup
For filling
Oil 2 tbsp
Pitted dates 1 cup
Melon seeds ½ cup
Roasted nuts ½ cup
Mixed dry fruits ½ cup
Cinnamon powder 1 tsp
Nutmeg ½ tsp

Oil for deep frying

To Serve: Can be enjoyed on its own, however, tamarind sauce can even elevate this snack to the next level.

Method:

  1. To make the dough, take flour, add salt, and pour very hot oil
  2. Using a spoon mix the oil and then using your hands mix it well
  3. Add little water at a time and start kneading the dough to get a smooth texture (at least 10 mins)
  4. Cover it with a moist towel and rest for 15 mins. Knead it again for 2-3 mins and make small balls (around 45) and cover them so they do not form a dry crust
  5. To make the filling, in a hot pan take some oil, add pitted dates, melon seeds, nuts, and mixed dry fruits
  6. Add cinnamon and nutmeg powder. Cook at a very low heat and keep mashing the mixture using a rubber spatula so that dates get fully mushy and all other ingredients get evenly incorporated. Set aside to cool and make 45 small balls.
  7. To fill the kachori, take a dough ball, flatten it using your hands, and place a date-filling ball inside. Close the edges tightly and roll them into a ball again, before flattening it again. Make sure that you seal the edges, otherwise while frying, the oil will be filled inside the kachori.
  8. On medium-low heat (130-150 degrees C), drop the prepared kachoris into the oil. At this stage, do not touch or stir them. They will start floating on the surface in around 3-4 mins.
  9. Then keep stirring and flipping once in a while. If the oil temperature is right, then it should take around 15-20 mins for them to get the crispy and golden texture. It is important to fry them at low heat, otherwise, the pastry will be uncooked from the inside and the outer surface might burn.
  10. Drain them on a kitchen towel.
  11. Rest and cool them at room temperature for at least 2-3 hours or overnight, as they keep cooking with the residual heat and won’t be fully crisp if you eat them immediately. After this store them in an airtight container.

Tips and Other Notes:

  1. Seal the edges tightly
  2. Knead the dough to activate the gluten
  3. Rest and cool them fully before eating to enjoy the maximum crispiness