Pyaz Ki Kachori / Spicy Onion mixture stuffed savory pastry

Every culture in the world has a pastry covered  sweet or savory recipe like latin empanadas,chinese springroll  and wantons  etc which i think is always a winner with everyone. And our's is samosa and kachori and who doesn't like these two snacks ."Kachori" is this months recipe for  ICC . There were recipes for moong,matar and pyaz ki kachori @ICC for everyone to try. Since i had tried my hands at matar ke kachori previously  decided to prepare Pyaz Ki kachori for the challenge. Thanks Meedha and Srivalli for the wonderful recipes.

For the Dough

All purpose flour / Maida - 2 cups
Oil/ Ghee - 1/4 cup ,
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Water for kneading

Method
1. Mix the flour and salt, Add the oil/ghee and mix till you get a bread crumbs texture.
2. Slowly add water and make a soft dough. Knead well for about 8 minutes.
3. Cover and keep aside to rest for atleast half hour. Special Tips / Notes for the dough:

• Keep the dough covered at all times, if not it will dry up and not puff up when frying. If the dough is made right wet cloth can be used if not just a towel.
• The dough could spring back for many reasons:

Dough is too cold (If wet cloth is used)

Dough is not soft enough.
Not kneaded for enough time.
Oil is less.
Not rested enough.

For Pyaz  Filling

Onions - 2 cups, finely chopped
Nigella seeds (kalonji) - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds (saunf) - 2 tsp
Bay leaves - 2
Green chillies - 11/2tsp, finely chopped
Bengal gram flour (besan) - 2 tbsp
Coriander (dhania) powder - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Chopped coriander - 3 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Dry Mango Pw(Amchoor) - 1/2 tsp (not in original recipe)
Salt to taste To make the onion filling

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the nigella seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaves, green chillies and onions and sauté till the onions turn light brown in colour.
2. Add the gram flour, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala and salt and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the chopped coriander and mix well. 
4. Remove the bay leaves and discard. 
5. Allow the mixture to cool completely
6. Divide into 12 equal portions and keep aside.


To make kachori's

1. Make a small ball from the dough. 
2. Roll out into a 2 inch diameter circle. 
3. Or flatten the ball using your fingers having the center thick and sides little thin.
4. Place about 1.5 tsp of the filling in the center of the rolled dough.
5. Cover the filling with the dough by slowly stretching it over the filling. 
6. Seal the ends and remove excess dough. 
7. Repeat with all the balls and keep aside for 5 -7 mins.
8. Then using your palm, flatten the balls by lightly pressing it, as using the rolling pin will make the filling come out. (See notes below). Keep aside covered. Repeat with the remaining dough.
9. Meanwhile heat some oil for deep frying. 
10. The oil should not become smoking hot. 
11. Test to see if the temperature is right by dropping a tiny ball of dough and see if it is rising slowly to the top.
12. Drop the kachoris in batches of 3-4 gently into the oil.
13. Cook both sides till both sides are golden brown and delicious.
14. Serve with coriander chutney and tamarind chutney


Special Tips / Notes for making the Kachoris:

• You can fry 3 kachori's at a time.
• The oil should be at a heat when you drop some dough it should come up slowly, if the dough comes up too fast the oil is too hot, if it does not come up then the oil is cold.
• It will not be crisp if the oil is too hot.