A thick, crispy deep-fried pastry shell filled with a spiced urad dal paste — the Allahabad and Varanasi version of the khasta kachori that has a thicker, flakier shell than the Rajasthani variety and is served with a more complex array of chutneys and aloo sabzi on the side.
Ingredients
For the khasta shell:
2 cups maida, 5 tbsp oil or ghee, a pinch of salt, water — about 1/2 cup (medium-firm dough)
For the urad dal filling:
3/4 cup urad dal — soaked 4 hours, drained and ground coarsely (not smooth)
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf) — coarsely crushed
1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder
a pinch of garam masala, salt
1 tbsp oil for the filling
oil for deep frying
Method
Make the khasta dough: Rub 5 tbsp oil or ghee into the maida until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add salt. Add water gradually to form a medium-firm, smooth dough. Knead 5 minutes. Rest 20 minutes.
Make the filling: Heat 1 tbsp oil. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Add the coarsely ground soaked urad dal. Add crushed fennel, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Cook stirring for 5 minutes until the dal is dry and fragrant. Cool.
Divide dough into 12 balls.
Stuff: Flatten each ball. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the centre. Gather edges upward and seal firmly. Re-roll into a smooth ball.
Flatten slightly: Gently press each stuffed ball into a thick disc about 6 to 7 cm wide — thicker than a puri.
Heat oil for frying: Heat oil on medium-low — khasta kachori is fried on lower heat than puri for the characteristic flaky, brittle crust.
Fry slowly: Add 3 to 4 kachori to the medium-low oil. Fry for 6 to 8 minutes, turning gently, until puffed and deep golden-brown all over.
The khasta test: The shell should be crispy throughout — tap the cooked kachori with your knuckle; it should produce a hollow sound.
Drain on paper towels.
Serve: Serve with tamarind chutney, green coriander chutney and a thin aloo sabzi.
Note: Khasta Kachori (khasta = flaky/crispy in Hindi) is the breakfast of the Allahabad-Varanasi belt — the sacred cities that anchor the Ganga-Yamuna Doab. The khasta kachori at the morning ghats — sold from brass pots by vendors who have been at the same spot for generations — is one of the most specifically Banarasi breakfast experiences. The slow, low-oil-temperature frying that creates the hollow, crispy shell without burning the filling is the technique that requires practice.