KACHORI

Kachori History

Kachori (pronounced [kətʃɔːɽiː]) is a spicy snack popular in India, Pakistan and other parts of South Asia. It is also common in places with South Asian diaspora, such as Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname. Alternative names for the snack include Kachauri, Kachodi and Katchuri.

Kachoris have been popular in old Delhi, even before samosas gained popularity after the partition. Banarasidas, the author of biographical Ardhakathanaka, has mentioned buying Kachoris in Agra in 1613. For seven months, he bought a ser of Kachoris daily, and owed twenty rupees.

Kachori is supposed to have originated inUttar Pradesh or Rajasthan. In these states it is usually a round flattened ball made of fine flour filled with a stuffing of baked mixture of yellow moong dal or Urad Dal (crushed and washed horse beans), besan (crushed and washed gram flour), black pepper, red chili powder, salt and other spices.

Additionally in Rajasthani cuisine, the Pyaaj Kachori (onion kachori) is very famous. Another popular form of Kachori inJodhpur is the Mawa Kachori invented by Late Rawat mal ji Deora. It is a sweet dish dipped in sugar syrup.

In Gujarat, it is usually a round ball made offlour and dough filled with a stuffing of yellow moong dal, black pepper, red chili powder, and ginger paste.

In Delhi it is often served as chaat. Delhi also has another kind of kachori, called ‘Khasta kachori’ or ‘Raj Kachori’.