patience and be sure to control the temperature of the oil: If it is too hot, they will brown too fast and the flaky pastry will remain chewy and uncooked; if it is not hot enough, they will harden and absorb too much oil.
Makes 16.
¼ cup (50 grams) chilkewali moong dal (split green gram with skin)
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon red chile powder
1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garam masala (spice mix; page 27)
½ teaspoon asafetida
2 cups (300 grams) atta (whole-wheat flour)
1½ teaspoons table salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil
1. Put the dal in a bowl, wash in plenty of water 2 or 3 times, and drain. Add ¾ cup (150 ml) water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain the dal in a colander and transfer to a food processor.
2. Add the coriander, chile powder, ginger, black pepper, garam masala, asafetida, and ¼ cup (50 ml) water, and process to a fine paste. Set aside.
3. Put the atta in a large bowl. Add the dal paste, salt, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and ½ cup (100 ml) water, and knead to make a semistiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 20 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into 16 portions and spread out each portion into a small disk with your fingertips.
5. Place a nonstick wok over high heat and add the remaining 1 quart (800 ml) oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, lower the heat to medium and gently slide in the kachoris, one at a time, and press gently with a slotted spoon until they puff up. Turn and cook for a few minutes or until both sides are golden and crisp. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
6. Serve hot.
You can use chilkewali urad dal (split black gram with skin) instead of the chilkewali moong dal.
Begun Bhaja
Eggplant with white poppy seeds
This fried eggplant dish comes from the eastern part of India, where poppy seeds are used often. Eggplant tends to absorb oil, so you may need a little more to finish frying all the eggplant pieces.
Makes 16 pieces.
2 medium round eggplants
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1½ teaspoons red chile powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup (50 grams) white poppy seeds
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or more if needed
1. Remove the stems from the eggplants, wash them, and cut each in half lengthwise. Cut horizontally into ½-inch-thick (1-cm-thick) slices.
2. Combine the turmeric, chile powder, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on both sides of the eggplant slices. Sprinkle with the lemon juice.
3. Put the poppy seeds in a shallow dish and roll the eggplant slices in them to coat both sides of the slices well. Set aside for 15 minutes.
4. Heat a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, gently slide in the eggplant slices, four at a time, and fry until golden. Turn and fry until the other side is golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add more oil to the pan for each batch, if needed.
5. Serve immediately.
Bhindi Kurkuri
Crisp and tangy okra
Kurkuri means “crisp and crunchy”—and okra is one vegetable that truly benefits from being cooked until crisp. This versatile snack can be served anytime.
Serves 4.
1 pound (500 grams) okra
1½ teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon red chile powder
¾ teaspoon garam masala (spice mix; page 27)
½ teaspoon amchur (dried mango powder)
½ teaspoon chaat masala (spice mix for chaat; page 24)
¼ cup (20 grams) besan (chickpea/gram flour)
1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil
½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. Wash the okra and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Trim off the ends, then thinly slice lengthwise.
2. Spread the okra slices on a flat dish and sprinkle with the salt, chile powder, garam masala, amchur, and chaat masala. Toss well and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Sprinkle the besan over the okra and stir so that the slices are coated evenly.
4. Place a nonstick wok over
Makes 16.
¼ cup (50 grams) chilkewali moong dal (split green gram with skin)
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon red chile powder
1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garam masala (spice mix; page 27)
½ teaspoon asafetida
2 cups (300 grams) atta (whole-wheat flour)
1½ teaspoons table salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil
1. Put the dal in a bowl, wash in plenty of water 2 or 3 times, and drain. Add ¾ cup (150 ml) water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain the dal in a colander and transfer to a food processor.
2. Add the coriander, chile powder, ginger, black pepper, garam masala, asafetida, and ¼ cup (50 ml) water, and process to a fine paste. Set aside.
3. Put the atta in a large bowl. Add the dal paste, salt, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and ½ cup (100 ml) water, and knead to make a semistiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 20 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into 16 portions and spread out each portion into a small disk with your fingertips.
5. Place a nonstick wok over high heat and add the remaining 1 quart (800 ml) oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the wok, lower the heat to medium and gently slide in the kachoris, one at a time, and press gently with a slotted spoon until they puff up. Turn and cook for a few minutes or until both sides are golden and crisp. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
6. Serve hot.
You can use chilkewali urad dal (split black gram with skin) instead of the chilkewali moong dal.
Begun Bhaja
Eggplant with white poppy seeds
This fried eggplant dish comes from the eastern part of India, where poppy seeds are used often. Eggplant tends to absorb oil, so you may need a little more to finish frying all the eggplant pieces.
Makes 16 pieces.
2 medium round eggplants
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1½ teaspoons red chile powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup (50 grams) white poppy seeds
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or more if needed
1. Remove the stems from the eggplants, wash them, and cut each in half lengthwise. Cut horizontally into ½-inch-thick (1-cm-thick) slices.
2. Combine the turmeric, chile powder, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on both sides of the eggplant slices. Sprinkle with the lemon juice.
3. Put the poppy seeds in a shallow dish and roll the eggplant slices in them to coat both sides of the slices well. Set aside for 15 minutes.
4. Heat a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pan, gently slide in the eggplant slices, four at a time, and fry until golden. Turn and fry until the other side is golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add more oil to the pan for each batch, if needed.
5. Serve immediately.
Bhindi Kurkuri
Crisp and tangy okra
Kurkuri means “crisp and crunchy”—and okra is one vegetable that truly benefits from being cooked until crisp. This versatile snack can be served anytime.
Serves 4.
1 pound (500 grams) okra
1½ teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon red chile powder
¾ teaspoon garam masala (spice mix; page 27)
½ teaspoon amchur (dried mango powder)
½ teaspoon chaat masala (spice mix for chaat; page 24)
¼ cup (20 grams) besan (chickpea/gram flour)
1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil
½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. Wash the okra and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Trim off the ends, then thinly slice lengthwise.
2. Spread the okra slices on a flat dish and sprinkle with the salt, chile powder, garam masala, amchur, and chaat masala. Toss well and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Sprinkle the besan over the okra and stir so that the slices are coated evenly.
4. Place a nonstick wok over
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