Kachori Explained

Kachori should not be confused with Kichuri.

Kachori
Alternate Name:Kachauri, kachodi and katchuri.[1]
Country:India
National Cuisine:India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan
Course:Snack
Served:Hot or warm
Main Ingredient:Maida (flour), gram flour, ghee
Variations:Pyaaz Kachori, Kota Kachori, Raj Kachori, Mawa Kachori, dahi-kheerey ki kachori[2]
Region:Rajasthan[3]
Minor Ingredient:Moong dal, Onions

Kachori (pronounced as /kətʃɔːɽi/) is a deep-fried, spicy, stuffed pastry originating from the Marwar[4] [5] region of Rajasthan, India.[6] It is made of maida filled with a stuffing of baked mixture of moong dal or onions (usually, depends on the variation), besan, coriander, red chili powder, salt, and other Indian spices and deep-fried in vegetable oil until crispy golden brown.[7] It is served hot with sweet and spicy tamarind chutney or occasionally with mint and green chilli chutney.[8]

Originating in India, kachoris have become popular throughout South Asia, each region adding its own local variations.

History

The kachori is believed to have originated from the Marwar region of Rajasthan, India.[9] The use of mild spices like coriander and fennel in the kachori's preparation is thought to be a reflection of the region's climatic conditions, making it well-suited for the dry and hot environment.[10] Over time, the kachori gained popularity as a convenient travel snack, a quick and wholesome start to the day for hungry businessmen and workers alike.[11]

An early known recipe similar to kachori comes from Susruta Samhita, which mentions deep-fried pastry made from flour, ghee, and jaggery and stuffed with spiced mung dal or minced meat.[12] Another recipe for a dish known as "Kacchari", a puffy deep-fried pastry stuffed with lentils, finds mention in a Jain text dating back to the 7th century.[13] Similar recipes are also mentioned in the medieval cookbook Supa Shastra.[14]

Banarasidas, the author of the biographical Ardhakathanaka, has mentioned buying Kachoris in Indore in 1613.[15] For seven months, he bought a ser of Kachoris daily, and owed twenty rupees.[16]

Variations

List of Variations based on stuffing:

Pyaaz Kachori or Kanda Kachori originated in the city of Jodhpur, Rajasthan. As its name suggests, it is stuffed with spiced pyaaz (onions).[17]

Another type is fried and stuffed with pulses (urad and mung, especially) and is generally found in the Kutch region of Gujarat.

In West Bengal, kachori is softer and smaller. It is made mostly of white flour (maida) and asafoetida, which are often added to improve its taste. It is mostly eaten as a tea-time snack in the morning or evening and often accompanied by potato and peas curry and Bengali sweets. Also, a kachori stuffed with peas (koraishuti kochuri) is a winter delicacy in Bengal. Another variant in Bengal that exists mostly in sweet shops is the hard form (like in Delhi) with a masala inside called 'Khasta Kochuri'. Generally, no curry is accompanied by the khasta kochuri version.

Some of the variants in North India include a version similar to the Rajasthani one, accompanied by a curry made of potatoes and varied spices or chana (chole) similar to one served in chole bhature.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Sen . Colleen Taylor . The Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine . Bhattacharyya . Sourish . Saberi . Helen . 2023-02-23 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 978-1-350-12865-1 . en.
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20090907044211/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090329/jsp/opinion/story_10738120.jsp The Telegraph – Calcutta (Kolkata) | Opinion | Diary
  3. Web site: 2018-03-06 . Mogar Kachori . 2024-04-29. it is believed that kachori was created by the Marwaris, in the heart of Marwar. recipes.timesofindia.com.
  4. Web site: Awal . Vernika . 2023-06-22 . A tale of the humble kachori . 2024-04-29 . The New Indian Express. It is believed that the Marwadi community can be credited for inventing kachori. en.
  5. Web site: 2018-03-06 . Mogar Kachori . 2024-04-29. it is believed that kachori was created by the Marwaris, in the heart of Marwar. recipes.timesofindia.com.
  6. Book: Sen . Colleen Taylor . The Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine . Bhattacharyya . Sourish . Saberi . Helen . 2023-02-23 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 978-1-350-12865-1 . en.
  7. Web site: 2018-03-06 . Interesting facts about Kachori that will leave you surprised . 2024-05-07 . recipes.timesofindia.com.
  8. Book: Bhatia, Divya . My Vegetarian Journey . 2014-03-20 . Partridge Publishing . 978-1-4828-1953-3 . en.
  9. Web site: 2024-02-18 . History Of Varanasi's Kachori Sabzi And 5 Places You Should Try . 2024-05-01 . Times Now . en.
  10. Web site: 2018-03-06 . Interesting facts about Kachori that will leave you surprised . 2024-05-01 . recipes.timesofindia.com.
  11. Web site: Awal . Vernika . 2023-06-22 . A tale of the humble kachori . 2024-05-01 . The New Indian Express . en.
  12. Feasts and Fasts: A History of Food in India, pg125, Colleen Taylor Sen · 2015
  13. Feasts and Fasts: A History of Food in India, pg151, Colleen Taylor Sen · 2015
  14. Feasts and Fasts: A History of Food in India, pg168, Colleen Taylor Sen · 2015
  15. Banarasidas, Ardha-Kathanaka, verses 335-342
  16. Nathuram Premi, Kavivar Banarsidas viracit Ardha Kathanaka, Bombay, Hindi Granth Ratnakar, 1957
  17. Book: Limited, Foodity (P) . Beyond Brick and Mortar: Unveiling the Soul of India's Street Food . 2024-02-23 . Notion Press . 979-8-89277-770-4 . en.
  18. Web site: 2018-03-06 . Interesting facts about Kachori that will leave you surprised . 2024-04-30 . recipes.timesofindia.com.
  19. Book: World . Eat Your . Delhi Food and Travel Guide: The inside scoop on the best North Indian foods in Delhi . Siciliano-Rosen . Laura . 2014-01-13 . Eat Your World . en.
  20. Book: Chauhan . Maneet . Chaat: Recipes from the Kitchens, Markets, and Railways of India: A Cookbook . Eddy . Jody . 2020-10-06 . Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed . 978-1-9848-2389-2 . en.
  21. Book: Sen . Colleen Taylor . The Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine . Bhattacharyya . Sourish . Saberi . Helen . 2023-02-23 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 978-1-350-12865-1 . en.
  22. Book: Meena, R. P. . Rajasthan Current Affairs Yearbook 2021 for Competitive Exams Preparation . MYUPSC . en.
  23. Book: Tripathi, Vaishali . Indian desi tadka . 2016-08-09 . Onlinegatha . 978-93-85818-00-4 . en.
  24. Book: Guides, Rough . RGT to Rajasthan, Delhi & Agra . 2010-10-01 . Rough Guides UK . 978-1-4053-8682-1 . en.

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