Kachori facts for kids
Kachoris
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| Place of origin | India |
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| Associated national cuisine | India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan |
| Main ingredients | gram flour, moong dal |
| Variations | lachhedar kachori, sweet upwas kachori, dahi-kheerey ki kachori |
Kachori is a super yummy, deep-fried snack! It comes from the Indian subcontinent. You can find it in many places where people from India and other South Asian countries live. Some other names for this tasty snack are kachauri, kachodi, and katchuri.
Contents
The Story of Kachori
Kachori has a long history! One of the first recipes like it is found in an ancient Indian text called the Susruta Samhita. This old book talks about a deep-fried pastry. It was made from flour, ghee (a type of butter), and jaggery (a sweet sugar). It was filled with spiced mung dal or minced meat.
Another old text, a Jain book from the 7th century, mentions a dish called "Kacchari." This was a puffy, deep-fried pastry filled with lentils. Similar recipes also appear in medieval cookbooks. Many people believe Kachori first came from the Hindi belt area of India. In these places, it's usually a round, flat ball. It's made from fine flour and filled with a mix of yellow moong dal or urad dal (types of lentils). Other ingredients include chickpea flour, black pepper, chili powder, salt, and other spices.
A writer named Banarasidas even wrote about buying Kachoris in 1613! He mentioned buying a lot of them every day in a city called Indore.
Different Kinds of Kachori
Kachori comes in many exciting varieties across different regions!
Kachori in Rajasthan
Rajasthan is famous for its Kachoris. The Kota Kachori is very well-known there. Another popular one is the Pyaaj Kachori, which means onion kachori. In Jodhpur, you can find Mawa Kachori. This is a sweet version that is dipped in sugar syrup.
Kachori in Other Regions
In Gujarat, Kachori is often a round ball of flour dough. It's filled with yellow moong dal, black pepper, red chili powder, and ginger paste.
In Delhi, Kachori is often served as a chaat, which is a type of street food. Delhi also has a 'Khasta kachori' or Raj Kachori. This one is made with potato, coconut, and sugar. Kachoris are often served with a yummy chutney. This sauce can be made from tamarind, mint, or coriander. Another type is fried and filled with pulses (like urad and moong beans). You can usually find this in the Kutch region of Gujarat.
In West Bengal and Bangladesh, Kachori (often called kochuri) is a bit different. In West Bengal, it's softer and smaller. It's mostly made from white flour and asafoetida (a spice). People often eat it as a snack with tea. It's usually served with a tasty potato-peas curry and Bengali sweets. Also, a Kachori filled with peas (koraishuti kochuri) is a special winter treat in Bengal. There's also a harder version called 'Khasta Kochuri' in sweet shops. This one has a spicy mix inside and is usually eaten without curry.
In North India, you'll find Kachoris similar to the Rajasthani ones. They are often served with a curry made from potatoes and spices. Sometimes, they come with chana (chickpeas), just like with chole bhature.
Gallery
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Dal Kachoris
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Club Kachoris in Kolkata
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Raj Kachori, popular street food
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Shahi Kachori
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Haldiram Raj Kachori
