(Lima) Beans and Delhi Cha(a)t

Peas...fully :)

Let me admit right in the beginning (and I fear crucifixion for this), I was never an ardent pea admirer. I do realize peas are very popular among a lot of food lovers, but I never found them that special. I remember when as children my brother and I used to help Ma shell out peas, Dada (my brother) would always keep popping them into his mouth, unable to resist the temptation. I imitated him a couple of times and wondered why he found them so tasty; I never did.

At the same time, I don’t abhor peas either. This versatile green grain often found its way into a whole range of foods—from curries, to pulao, salads, and I never minded eating it. But mostly, I remained indifferent to its existence and didn’t think any more of it than a mere side (if I may dare say that) ingredient.

However, there are a couple of things we make with this green pod that have no substitute at all. And those bowl me over as well. These are peas parantha and peas kachori—two delightful wonders to be had in the winters. So it is with great joy that I bring motorshutir (peas in Bangla) kachuri or peas kachori for this month’s From My Rasoi theme—breakfast. . The event, hosted by the talented Meena of Hooked on Heat has already proved to be scrumptious affair.

And so here is something for a comfort breakfast, preferably to be savoured on a lazy weekend morning.

Motorshutir Kachuri/Peas Kachori

Ingredients:

For filling:

Peas: 500 gms
Ginger: 25 gms
Green chilli: 2-3
Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida (hing) powder: A pinch
Salt
Oil: 1 tablespoon

For Kachori (pancake) dough:

Flour: 1 kg
Baking powder: ½ teaspoon
Salt
Oil: 2 tablespoons

Oil for frying kachoris

Method:

Step I: The filling:

1. Shell out the peas or use frozen ones and wash them.
2. Add some salt, chopped ginger, chopped green chillies to the peas and blend into a fine paste. Add a little water if required.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet and drop the cumin seeds and asafoetida (hing) powder.
4. When the cumin seeds begin to splutter, add the peas paste and keep stirring, until the water dries out and the oil starts separating.
5. Keep aside and let it cool.


Step II: The kachori dough:

1. Sift flour into a bowl. Add the baking powder, a little salt, and two tablespoons of oil in it. Mix well.
2. Add water and knead into a tight dough of medium consistency (dough should be neither too soft nor too hard).

The grand finale: Making the kachoris:

1. Make small balls from the dough. Roll each ball within your palms, make a cavity and fill it with a teaspoon of the filling.
2. Close the ball and smoothen it by rolling within the palms.
3. Using a rolling pin, roll the balls out into small pancakes.
4. Deep fry until golden brown
5. Serve hot with any chutney/pickle.

Perfect comfort food for a winter morning. And if there’s a cup of hot chai to accompany it, that would be perfection perfected, no?


Take a bite!

Sury

posted by Sury at 2:57 PM