Maharaj Hemaram Choudhary, of the Rasovara chain of Rajasthani food restaurants, presents his mango-inspired creations for the season.
His recipe for Aam Khasta Kachori is a delicious way to turn mangoes into a fried snack.
The lightly tempered and delicately flavoured Mango Fajeto, a kind of kadhi, makes for an excellent weekend meal when paired with steamed rice.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Rasovara
Aam Khasta Kachori
Servings: 10
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 cups maida or all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp ghee
- Salt to taste
- Water as required
- Oil for deep frying the kachoris
For the filling
- 1 ripe mango, cut into cubes
- ½ cup split yellow mung dal
- ½ tsp saunf or fennel seeds
- 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
- A pinch of hing or asafoetida
- 1 tsp red chilly powder
- ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp besan or gram flour
- ½ tsp crushed black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp oil
For serving
- Aamras or mango puree
- Imli or tamarind chutney
- Green chutney
- Fine-grained sev
Method
For the dough
- In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together to make a firm dough.
Cover the dough with a muslin cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes.
For the filling
- In a heavy-bottomed frying pan heat the 2 tbsp oil over medium heat.
Add the jeera, saunf and let it splutter.
Lower the heat and add the hing and then the besan, haldi powder and roast lightly for 2-3 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 5 minutes till everything is mixed well.
Take off heat and cool to room temperature.
For the assembly
- Divide the dough into 10 equal portions.
Roll each portion into a small ball and press lightly to flatten.
With your thumb make a cavity in the centre of the flattened dough piece.
Fill the cavity with a little of the stuffing and bring the sides together to seal the stuffing inside.
Flatten it slightly and roll again lightly so you have a tiny stuffed kachori.
- Repeat this process for the balance 9 balls.
- In a wok or kadhai or heavy-bottomed, deep frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat and deep fry the kachoris till light brown and crisp.
Drain the kachoris and transfer to a plate lined with tissue or a paper towel.
Serve the kachoris warm, along with generous toppings of mango puree, tamarind chutney, green chutney and sev.
Mango Fajeto
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- ½ cup mango pulp
- 3 tbsp besan or gram flour
- ¼ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 3 cups sour buttermilk
- 2 tbsp oil
- Pinch of hing or asafoetida
- ½ tsp jeera or cumin seeds
- A sprig of curry leaves
- 3 green chillies, chopped
- 1 tbsp gur or jaggery
- Water as required
Method
- In a bowl, mix the mango pulp with the besan, haldi, salt and buttermilk and beat with a whisk to make a smooth mixture.
In a wok or kadhai or heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the hing asafoetida, jeera, curry leaves, green chillies and saute for a minute.
Add the mango mixture and mix.
Add the jaggery and give it a good stir.
Add water to get the required consistency.
Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot with steamed rice./li>
