Wheat Flour3 cupSalt½ tspCarom Seed1 tsp

Take the wheat flour in a wide bowl. Add the salt and rub the carom seeds between your palms as you add them. Mix well.

Sunflower Oil4 tbsp

Add the oil and rub it into the flour with your fingers. It is ready when a fistful holds its shape when pressed but still crumbles easily. This is what makes the kachoris flaky.

Add water a little at a time and knead a medium dough, not too soft and not too stiff. Cover and let it rest while you make the filling.

Moong Dal150 gGinger1 pcGreen Chili2 pc

Drain the soaked moong dal well. Grind it with the ginger and 2 green chilies without any water. Keep it slightly coarse, not a smooth paste.

Gram Flour2 tbsp

Dry-roast the gram flour in a pan on low heat, stirring, until it smells nutty. Set it aside.

Sunflower Oil2 tbspCumin½ tspCoriander Seed1 tspOnion1 pc

Heat the oil in a kadai. Add the cumin and crushed coriander seeds and fry lightly. Add the onion and fry until well cooked.

Green Chili2 pcAsafoetida½ tspTurmeric½ tsp

Add the chopped green chilies, asafoetida and turmeric. Stir for a few seconds.

SaltTo tasteDry Mango Powder½ tspKasuri Methi1 tsp

Add the ground dal, salt, dry mango powder and crushed kasuri methi. Keep the heat very low and stir well for a minute or two.

Mix in the roasted gram flour. The filling will lose its wet feel and turn dry and crumbly. Take it off the heat and let it cool.

Knead the rested dough briefly. Cut balls a little bigger than you would for luchi and roll each one smooth between your palms.

Press a ball into a cup with a wide centre. Put in some filling, pull the edges up and pinch them shut. Smooth out the folds so the kachori does not burst while frying, and pinch off any extra dough on top.

Place the kachori sealed side down and press gently from the centre with your palm so the filling spreads evenly. No rolling pin needed.

Sunflower OilAs needed

Heat the oil only until warm, with small bubbles rising. Slide in the kachoris and do not stir. When they float up, spoon hot oil over the tops.

Once they puff up and the bottoms are lightly coloured, turn them over. Keep the heat low and fry patiently until golden brown and the bubbling almost stops.