Ashoka Halwa Recipe: Traditional Tanjavur Dessert Made from Lentil and Wheat Flour

Delhi attracts not only tourists but also food lovers. Delhi street food is famous for its spicy taste, and here you can find many dishes such as samosas, chhole-kulche, chhole-bhatture, tikki chaat, and kachori sold on every street.

Moth kachori is one of Delhi's unique dishes. It has a spicy and satisfying taste. This crispy outside and stuffed with a spicy filling kachori is very popular for both breakfast and evening tea. If you want to try authentic Delhi kachori, you can easily make it at home.

Moth Kachori Recipe:

To prepare moth kachori, several steps must be followed. First, the moth beans should be crushed into coarse pieces. The moth beans must be thoroughly washed and soaked in water for several hours. After that, the water is drained, and the beans are lightly boiled, but they must not be completely overcooked. Then they are cooled and ground into a coarse crumb.

Next, prepare the spicy filling. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry cumin seeds, cardamom, and a pinch of asafoetida. Then add finely chopped green chili and ginger, frying them. Next, add the crushed moth beans to the pan, mixing them with coriander powder, red chili powder, amchur, garam masala, and salt. Sauté the mixture in a mixer for several minutes until all moisture evaporates and the filling becomes dry. After that, turn off the heat and let the filling cool.

Then, knead the dough for the kachori. In a large bowl, mix semolina and salt, add ghee or oil, and mix thoroughly. If the semolina starts to stick when squeezed in a fist, it means the amount of fat (moyan) is correct. Add a little water and knead a soft dough, which is then covered and left to rest for some time.

After that, form small balls from the dough. One ball is slightly rolled out, the prepared moth filling is placed in the center, the edges are closed, and gently pressed. Then this item is rolled into the shape of a kachori.

The kachoris are deep-fried. Heat oil in a pan, but it should not be too hot. Drop the kachoris into the oil and fry slowly over medium heat until golden and crispy on both sides. Slow frying ensures even cooking and a crispy texture.

The kachoris should be served hot, accompanied by green and sweet ginger chutney. Onion can be added on top, and yogurt is optional. This dish pairs well with potato ragout, which is often served by street vendors in Delhi.

Pro Tip: When rolling the ball, do not make it too thin, otherwise the kachori may tear during frying. Also, do not fry the kachoris in oil that is too hot.

Although many have tried various types of curry phakoda, few are familiar with Rajasthani curry made from lentils. This recipe does not require deep frying; instead, the lentil phakoda is cooked directly in the boiling curry. We will present a simple way to prepare Rajasthani lentil curry phakoda.

Curry is an important part of Indian cuisine and is prepared differently in various regions. Usually, phakoda for curry is made from chickpea flour, but in Rajasthan, a different approach is used—phakoda is made from lentils. The main feature is that these phakodas are not fried separately but are boiled directly in the simmering curry. Because of this, the phakodas absorb the tangy flavor of the curry and the aromas of the spices excellently, becoming very soft.

This Rajasthani dish is served with curry rice, flatbreads, or hot puris. Although some preliminary preparation is required for its making, its taste is sure to please.

For the Phakoda

Ingredients needed for the phakoda:

• 1 cup of washed lentils
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon of hing (asafoetida)
• Water as needed

For the Curry

Ingredients for the curry:

• 1 cup of yogurt
• 4 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons of ghee
• ¼ teaspoon of fennel seeds
• 10–15 black peppercorns
• 3 cloves
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of sesame seeds
• ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 2 curry leaves
• 10–12 curry leaves
• 2 green chilies
• 2 medium onions
• ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon of hing
• 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder
• ½ cup of water
• Salt to taste

For the Tempering (Tadka)

Ingredients for the tempering:

• 2 tablespoons of ghee
• 3–4 cloves of garlic
• A little ginger
• 3 dried red chilies
• ½ teaspoon of red chili powder
• A little fresh coriander

First, the lentils should be thoroughly washed with clean water 4-5 times. Then, soak the lentils in water for about 2 hours; if you want to speed up the process, you can use slightly warm water. After the lentils have swelled well, drain the water and place them in a blender. When blending, do not add too much water at once; first, add 1 tablespoon of water and gradually add a little more as needed. The lentils should become thick and smooth. It may take 4 to 5 tablespoons of water to blend, but this depends on the lentils themselves.

Transfer the blended lentils to a bowl, add ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of hing. Then, knead this mixture thoroughly for 3-4 minutes to make the dough lighter and airier. To check the readiness of the dough, take a small amount of the mixture in water; if the dough starts floating on the water surface, it means it has been kneaded well.

To make the curry, mix 1 cup of yogurt and 4 cups of water in a bowl, whisking them thoroughly. Ready-made buttermilk (chaach) can also be used.

Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a pot. Add fennel seeds, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves. Then add the curry leaves and finely chopped green chilies. Next, add the chopped onion and sauté it lightly without browning it too much. Add turmeric, hing, and Kashmiri red chili powder, and mix. Pour in ½ cup of water and let the spices cook well.

When the spices are fully cooked and the oil starts separating, pour in the prepared yogurt mixture. Stir constantly while adding, as it must be stirred continuously until the curry boils, otherwise, the yogurt may curdle. Salt should not be added at this stage.

After the curry boils well, reduce the heat but continue to simmer the curry. Now, form small phakodas from the lentil dough by slightly moistening your hands, and drop them directly into the boiling curry. A spoon can also be used to add the phakodas. Do not make the phakodas too large, as they expand after cooking. The curry should not stop boiling when adding the phakodas. Cook the phakodas in the curry for about 4-5 minutes. After this, add 1 teaspoon of salt and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Continue to cook the curry for another 15 minutes. During this time, the phakodas will be completely cooked, and the curry will thicken slightly.

To give the curry extra flavor, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a small pan. Sauté the sliced garlic until golden brown. Then add the finely chopped ginger and 3 dried red chilies. Finally, add ½ teaspoon of red chili powder and turn off the gas. Immediately pour this tempering over the curry. Add a little curry broth to the tempering pan and pour it into the pot. Cover the curry and let it sit for 5 minutes so that the flavor of the tempering fully penetrates the curry.

Finally, sprinkle with fresh coriander on top. If you did not use whole spices, you can add a little garam masala.