Motor Shutir Kochuri/ Flaky bread stuffed with Spicy Peas

The crispy flaky Kachori or Kochuri if you're bengali, is a dish that is widely popular all over the country! We have so many different forms of Kachori here, so many stuffings. Dal (lentil) ki kachori, Pyaaz (onion)ki kachori, aloo (potato) kachori, mutter (peas) ki Kachori and so many more! 

I have already posted a recipe previously for a traditional Dal Ki Kachori. You can see the recipe here. 

Kachori is something that is so simple to make, and its a perfect evening tea time snack. No wonder it graces millions of homes each day! 

The puffed up unleavened flaky bread with a spicy stuffing inside thats absolutely lipsmacking! Traditionally the Motor Shutir Kochuri or the Peas stuffed Kachori uses a recipe thats slightly different for the filling. I wanted to tweak it a little bit and make it more fun.

So I went to the traditional Bengali 5 spice powder also called as the Panch Phoron to lend the unique flavour to my khasta kachori. 

This 5 spice mix is a blend of spices like fennel, nigella, cumin, fenugreek and black mustard seeds. These spices make for the most beautiful melange of flavours that makes the filling a little tangy, a little sweet, a little pepper-y. mmmmmm Perfection really!! 

Lets make the Kochuri then! 

Serves: 3

Time taken: 45 mins

Complexity: ***

You'll need

For the dough

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour 

1 tbsp ghee

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup water

oil for drizzling

oil for frying

pinch of love

For the stuffing

1 1/2 cup peas

2 tbsp panch phoron mix

2 tbsp mustard oil

1/2 tsp asafoetida 

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

salt to taste 

mint and coriander leaves (a few) 

ginger garlic and green chilli paste (4-5 garlic cloves, 1" pic of ginger, 2 green chillies) 

Method

We need to make the dough first so that it can rest when we make our filling

Take  the flour in a bowl

Add salt and baking powder

Drizzle in the ghee and your pinch of love

Pour 1/2 cup of water and start binding. Add water gradually to keep kneading the dough

The dough should look something like this after about 3-4 mins of kneading. The texture looks quite rough but the dough should be soft n springy.

Its easier to knead the dough on a wider surface, so I drizzled some oil on my clean table top

Plonked my dough on there and kept kneading. Keep punching that sucker! You arm should feel the workout. Burn those calories before you indulge in this fried snack!! 

This is almost 10 mins of kneading. The texture looks much smoother now. 

Just brush some oil over the dough so it prevents dry skin formation. Cover and place aside. If you want you can make this dough 1 day prior to making your kachori if that makes things easier for you! 

For the Panch Phoron masala, take equal measures of fenugreek seeds

cumin

nigella seeds

fennel 

and mustard seeds

Put them together in a small airtight jar to use anytime you want to. This mix has flavoured many a dish in my kitchen from potatoes to chicken, mutton and a lot more! Use it as you please.

For this filling take a skillet, and pour the mustard oil to it on a medium high flame. When it is hot,

Add the panch phoron mix

Allow it to splutter for a minute.

Next add in the asafoetida

The ginger garlic n chilli paste

Saute for a minute

Add in the peas (use fresh, or if you're using frozen, let them thaw before)

Spice it up with red chili powder

Salt, but be careful as the dough also contains some salt. 

Garam masala powder

the mint and coriander leaves 

Add about 3-4 tbsp water, cover n cook the peas till they are quite soft. Then squish them a little bit with the back of your spoon. Don't mash them completely. The filling is all done! Let it cool for atleast 10 mins before you start making the kachori.

For frying the kachori, take a wok and fill it 3 fingers deep with oil on a low flame. For a detailed step by step pictorial go here

Meanwhile take the dough and make tennis ball sized balls of it. It should give you about 6-7 balls. 

Take a ball, and flatten it out with the palm of your hands till its about 3" in diameter. Spoon in 1 1/2 tbsp of the filling in the centre of it.  All the pickle-y spicy green goodness! 

Make a pouch of it and again spread it out with the palm of your hands again till its about 3" in diameter. 

Prepare all the kachoris, ready to be fried similarly.

The oil in the wok should be pretty hot now, start frying the kachoris, 2 at a time. watch how they puff up and turn golden brown n crispy. 

Such a delight!! 

Amp up your tea time or have them for brekkie or even sneak them in your room for a midnight snack! 

Indulge!