Savouring kachoris guilt-free

There was a time when the advent of monsoon was eagerly awaited, and not only because the parched earth would be rejuvenated by the showers falling from heavens. For those of us who have insatiable pangs of hunger, this was the inauguration of the season of deep-fried snacks, savoury as well as sweet — pakoda, samosa, tikki, jalebi — to be downed with steaming cups of masala chai. Alas, times have changed and the mere thought of such fried stuff gives us a severe guilty conscience and we shudder at the thought of invisible arteries choking.

Despair not, dear readers! The steam rising from that mug of tea still gives us hope. As a matter of fact, what the heart pines for in this season is not really the deep-fried stuff but something teekha and chatpata — spicy with a sour tang, maybe with a hint of astringent and sweet. This is the contribution made by chutneys and sauces that enlivens the unmentionable deep-fried stuff.

There is also a long tradition of steamed mouth-watering snacks that are relished when it pours. Pataur or patrode (steamed arbi leaves dumplings) tastes as good when steamed (or boiled) as when fried. The idli converted into a healthy chaat, bhel puri or jhal murhi reinforced with chips of roasted papad and boiled peanuts are equally drool worthy.

What has been tempting us more than anything else nowadays is the new gadget called air fryer. Truth be told, it had appeared on the scene some six-seven years ago, but at that time it was expensive, not available in different sizes, or very user-friendly. But now, we are convinced that this gadget will soon find a place in most Indian kitchens just like a pressure cooker, microwave or mixers. You can use it throughout the year even after the monsoon has receded. Those who are yet to experience the health-friendly joys of this gadget can steam and bake, and banish deep-fried snacks from their kitchen and welcome back healthy samosas, pakodas and kachoris in their baked avtar.

Baked Kachori

Ingredients

Moong dal (soaked and drained) 1/2 cup

Coriander powder 1tsp

Cumin powder 1/2tsp

Red chilli powder 1tsp

Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp

Chat masala 1/2 tsp

Amchur powder 1/2 tsp

Garam masala 1/2 tsp

Fresh coriander 1 small sprig

Fennel powder 1/2tsp

Besan 1tsp

Maida 2cup

Ajwain seeds 1 tsp

Baking powder 1/4tsp

Ghee 6 tsp

Salt To taste

For filling

Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan, then add coriander seeds, coriander, cumin, red chili and fennel powders and garam masala, along with salt and blend well. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, sprinkling a little water to avoid scorching the spices. Now add moong daal, half a cup of water, amachur powder, besan and chaat masala. Mix well and cook till moong daal is fully cooked. Remove from flame and allow to cool.

Method

— Preheat the oven to 180° C or the air fryer for 3 minutes.

— Put maida in a bowl, add salt, baking powder, ghee and ajwain seeds, mix well. Add a little water and knead to obtain a stiff dough. Cover the bowl with a cloth and rest the dough for 20 minutes.

— Divide the dough into equal portions and shape it into balls. Apply a little ghee to each ball, press them slightly and roll out into small puris. Place some of the daal mixtures in the centre, bring the edges together and press to seal. Roll again these small puris to ensure that the daal filling is evenly spread.

— Lightly grease a baking tray, place the kachoris on it, brush them with a little ghee, and bake in the preheated oven at 200° C for about 15 minutes or at same temperature in air fryer for 10 minutes till the kachoris are baked golden. Finally, arrange them on a serving plate and serve hot with tamarind chutney and chopped onions.