Pea Kachori or Koraishutir Kochuri Bengali Style

Instructions

1. Shell the peas and blanch them by cooking in boiling water for a minute. Drain and transfer the peas to a bowl of cold water. In a processor or grinder, grind the blanched peas along with the ginger, green chillies and a little salt to a fine paste. Add some salt and very little water. Just enough to help the peas grind to a smooth paste.
2. In a deep bottom pan heat oil  over medium flame. Temper with cumin seed and asafoetida once hot. When the cumin starts crackling,  add the pea paste.
3. Stir continuously over medium – low flame till the mix reduces to half its original volume. By now the pea mixture should have lost much of its moisture and become dry. The mixture should form a lump when gathered. Take off and keep aside. The Pea Kachori filling is done.
4. To make the dough, take the flour in a mixing bowl. Add the salt and the oil. Thoroughly mix well so as to evenly distribute the oil which will ensure flaky crust for the kachoris. Add lukewarm water in parts and knead for approximately 5 minutes or so. The dough should be a semi – soft dough. Cover and keep aside to rest for 30 mins.
5. Divide the dough into balls. With the help of your palms shape each of the dough balls to form a uniform round without any cracks. Repeat with all the other dough balls. Cover them and set them aside.
6. Next divide and roll the pea filling into small balls with the help of your palms for even distribution. Take one dough ball at a time and with the help of a rolling pin or your hands, lightly flatten them into small circles of 3 inches or so . Place the pea filling in the centre of the circular dough and pinch the sides together to close the open ends and shape them into round balls. Gently press the stuffed dough balls to give a slightly flat shape to each of them.
7. To roll out the kachoris, oil the rolling pin and the surface well. With a gentle and light hand, roll out the stuffed dough balls one by one to into disks of 5” or so. Roll and rotate applying even pressure.
8. In a deep bottom pan heat oil for deep frying over medium high heat. When fumes comes out, lower the flame to a medium and start frying the rolled out kachoris. Lightly press the kachoris from the middle to puff them up in the fried oil. Flip and fry the other side. Its important for the oil to be really hot for the Kachoris to puff up.
9. Hold and tilt the kachori to the side of the pan to drain excess oil. Place on a serving platter and serve hot teamed with some Aloo Dum or Aloo Gobi.