Kachori Parcels

KACHORI PARCELS

If I were to have a last meal on earth, it would be mom’s daal kachori - hands down. If I were to pick one savory thing, just one, for Diwali, I’d pick that again. But the thing is mum is miles away 😢and my kachori frying skills are well, they are my Waterloo. I know you’ll say Napoleon take it easy 😅but look, kachori-making isn’t a small feat. For people like you and me, we can least make the kachori mix. And thank lord for me as your savior 😅, I thought of this brilliant kachori with phyllo pastry idea such that we can make our kachori and eat it too. Ok I will stop with the terrible metaphors 😂

Anyway, back to these Kachori Parcels - so the kachori mix is crunched up in phyllo pastry sheets, baked, drizzled with yogurt, three kinds of chutneys, onions, cilantro, sev and pomegranate arils (if doesn’t make your mouth water, I don’t know what will). Kachori Parcels will remind you of mum or your fave chaatwala without the trauma of frying. Spectacular, no?

Make this ONE thing for a bomb of a Diwali meal or any meal for that matter 😘😘

It’s stunningly delightful!

KACHORI PARCELS

makes 40 parcels

YOU WILL NEED

KACHORI MIX

Kachori Mix

• 1 cup moong daal (split moong beans)

• 3/4 cup water

• 2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tbsp oil

• 3 tbsp garam masala

• 1 tsp toasted & crushed fennel seeds

• 2 tsp red chili powder (more depending on spice level desired)

Phyllo Sheet

• 6 rectangular phyllo sheets

• oil spray

Chutneys

• 1 cup cilantro chutney

• 1 cup tamarind date chutney

• 3 tbsp spicy garlic chutney

• 1 cup yogurt + 1/2 cup water

• 1 tsp red chili powder

• 1 tsp black salt

Other Toppings

• 1 cup fine sev

• 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro

• 1/4 cup finely chopped onions

• 1/4 cup pomegranate arils

METHOD

Making Kachori Mix

• In a large bowl, rinse the moong daal a few times until the water runs clear. Transfer the washed daal to pressure cooker and add 3/4 cup water, salt and turmeric. Cook for 1 whistle. Once the cooker cools down, we start making the kachori mix.

• Heat a large pan, add oil. Add the cooked moong daal and season with garam masala, crushed fennel powder and red chili powder. Mix everything well. Adjust the spice and salt as needed and the kachori mix is ready.

• Let the kachori mix cool completely before proceeding to a make the parcels.

Making Parcels

• Follow the instructions on the phyllo packet and thaw the sheets as directed. Pile up the phyllo pastry on a dusted surfaces separate two 3 layers sheets. Cut the sheets in 8x8 cm squares.

• Spoon 2-3 tsp of kachori mix on a square. Spray the sides with oil, gather up the edges and scrunch them together. Apply more oil to help the edges stick. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make more phyllo kachori parcels. It is completely fine if the parcels don’t close completely - space for the chutneys to seep in.

• Transfer the parcels to the oil sprayed baking tray.

Bake them at 375° Fahrenheit for 15 mins or until the phyllo pastry is reddish brown on the edges.

CHUTNEYS

For chutneys, I didn’t take measurements, but you can use thejamlab’s recipes of cilantro and date tamarind chutney or use store bought ones.

ASSEMBLY

Place the baked Kachori Parcels on a serving plate. Drizzle with yogurt, cilantro, date and garlic chutney, in that order. Sprinkle chopped onions, sev, cilantro and pomegranate arils. Repeat the chutney and yogurt drizzle if desired and start stuffing them in your mouth, YUM! 🤤

NOTES

• You can freeze the leftover kachori mix or make stuffed parathas with it.

• You can make the parcels up to 6 hours ahead of time and bake them hot when guests arrive/when you ready to eat. Make sure to spray a little oil over them to prevent drying out, cover and keep in a cool place.