Banaras wali Kachori

                                        Banaras wali Kachori

Mouth starts watering when we think of kachoris! isn't it? And Banarasi kachoris are world famous. Tourists from all over the world visit this one of the ancient most cities of India and indulge in various delicacies this city has to offer them.The sweets, lassi and savory goodies are one of those delicacies. My husband's ancestral home is in Banaras or Varanasi and this kachori is of 'Bechu Sahab' of Kabir Chaura. Bechu sahab was a halwai and his shop was famous for Jalebi and khasta kachori. Every morning, a servant used to run to grab the breakfast for the family as soon as Bechu sahab started lighting fire in his chulha! My mom-in-law was a great cook herself,so her keenness to learn the secret filling was immense. She asked the servant to observe how the kachori was being prepared and started making this kachori with the help of servant's feedback at home. The need of making this at home was zero, as at Varanasi, it used to be bought from Bechu sahab's shop every morning along with Jalebi and chane ki ghughni, but as my father-in-law was a judge, he and family used to live in other cities of his postings. But Mummyji learnt to make these at home. According to her own words,' it is very close to the taste of Bechu sahab's, but not exactly the same'. I was not lucky enough to taste his Kachoris,as he was no more when I got married, but these kachoris of Mummyji were very delish and mouthwatering.

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour or maida-1/2 kg.
2. Boiled potatos-250 gm.
3. Oil for moyan(Shortening) and frying
4. Salt to taste
5. Red chilli powder-2-3 tsp.
6. Amchoor powder-3 tsp.
7. Cumin seeds-1 tsp.
8. (3 cloves. 2 black cardamom and 6-7 black pepper coarsely ground together).

Method:

• Knead a tight dough after mixing moyan and salt in Maida. It should be like samosa dough.
• Mash potatoes and mix salt,whole cumin and all the spices.
• Make small balls of the dough and stuff the filling and neatly close the balls and flatten them a little.
• Heat oil in a kadai and on slow heat, fry all the kachoris.
• Enjoy.

It tastes very good even without chutney.