Koraishutir Kochuri/Peas Kachori

Koraishutir Kochuri is a quintessential food of winter. In winter the sight of fresh peas always makes me remember Kochuri at first, then come the other dishes which taste exceptionally good when made with fresh winter peas like Gobi matar, Aloo matar, Matar Paneer, etc. There are a few varieties of Peas Kachori that can be found in our country. This traditional Bengali version is less spicy, the taste comes more from fresh peas. I know that we can make this with frozen peas too, but when made with fresh peas the taste is unbeatable.  These delicious fresh green peas stuffed with soft, flaky kachoris with hot & spicy Aloor Dom is a dreamlike breakfast for any Bengali on cold winter mornings, or we can have them for lunch or dinner too. This season is such a spoiler when it comes to having different food. Nature’s bounty and the random urge to keep the body warm push us to eat this or that constantly. And I don’t mind because this season is here for only a few months.

I’ve learned this Kochuri recipe from my Mom. It’s a popular Bengali food. So, the recipe may vary a bit from home to home. I’m sharing my version here, the way I make it at home. It’s very simple to do and always a hit in my family; if you’ve not tried Bengali-style Peas Kachori before then you must try it now. And don’t forget to share your experience with me. 🙂

Koraishutir Kochuri/Peas Kachori
Koraishutir Kochuri/Peas Kachori

Koraishutir Kochuri/Peas Kachori

Yields: approx 20

Ingredients

For peas filling

  • Fresh green peas- 400g (net weight without the peels)
  • Salt to taste
  • Vegetable oil- ¼ cup
  • Roasted Cumin seeds powder- 1 tbsp (Dry fry the cumin seeds on medium heat until a bit darker in color. Be careful, don’t let them burn. Grind until fine using a mixer/grinder.)

For kochuri dough

  • All-purpose flour/Maida- 275g
  • Wheat flour/Atta- 50g
  • Salt- ½ tsp
  • Water as required
  • Vegetable oil- ¼ Cup + more for frying

Method

For peas filling

Add fresh peas to a mixer/food processor, and grind until coarse paste forms, keep aside.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan/kadai (non-stick preferably). Add the paste of green peas, salt, and roasted Cumin seeds powder. Mix well and cook on medium flame. Stir continuously for 5-6 minutes or until the paste leaves the pan.  Care should be taken not to dry up the peas filling too much.  The filing should be a bit moist. Remove and keep aside.

Making of Peas filling
Making of Peas filling

For kochuri dough

For making Kochuri the wheat flour part is completely optional but strongly recommended. Many people make kachori using maida only, but I’ve seen my Mom using wheat flour into the dough always. It brings out much better taste than those Kachoris which are made out of a maida dough only.

In a bowl add all the ingredients (except water). Mix well using your fingers. The flour mixture will become crumbly in texture. Now add water slowly, and knead until smooth, lump-free dough forms. I knead the dough on my kitchen counter to get a large free space for smooth kneading. The final dough will be smooth, soft and completely non-sticky.

Make balls out of the dough, the size of these balls should be a bit bigger than lemons.

Now press each ball from the center by using your thumb, and put 1 tbsp peas filling. Close the sides by folding them towards the center and seal the ball (check out the picture for reference).

Making of Balls with Peas filling
Making of Balls with Peas filling

At the time of rolling apply a few drops of oil over each ball. Do this for one ball at a time, when you begin to roll. And grease the rolling surface with little oil too; you need to do this every time before rolling each ball. Start rolling evenly; the approx diameter of kochuri should be 4”. Kochuri should not be very thick, nor very thin. Keep the rolled kochuri aside separated from each other; otherwise, they will stick with one another.

Rolled Kochuri before frying
Rolled Kochuri before frying

Meanwhile, heat 3 cups of oil in a deep frying pan/kadai. The oil should be hot. Start frying kochuri on high heat, one at a time.  When the oil becomes very hot reduce the heat a little bit. But don’t fry them on low heat; otherwise, they wouldn’t be puffed up. It would take less than a minute to fry one kochuri. Check the video below for a quick reference on how to roll out and fry Kochuri perfectly.

You don’t need to give gentle pressure on top of the kochuri at the time of frying with your perforated spoon or spatula whatever you’re using. Just keep on splashing oil from the edges with the spatula and flip kochuri after 6-8 seconds approx, fry the other side quickly. It’ll take a few more seconds. Take them out in a large bowl.

Serve immediately with Cholar dal, Dum aloo, Kosha mangsho etc.

Note:

If you fry Kochuri for a longer time, they might harden. So, timing is very important here. We want our kochuri to be soft and puffy not hard and crisp.

Koraishutir Kochuri/Peas Kachori

Made with green peas filling flaky, delicious Koraishutir Kochuri is a traditional Bengali delicacy. Make some by following this Step by step recipe.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 5 People
Author Chandrima

Ingredients

For peas filling

  • 400g- Fresh green peas (net weight without the peels)
  • ¼ cup- Salt to taste
  • Vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp- Roasted Cumin seeds powder

For kochuri dough

  • 275g- All-purpose flour/Maida
  • 50g- Wheat flour/Atta
  • ½ tsp- Salt
  • Water as required
  • ¼ Cup + more for frying- Vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. For Roasted Cumin seeds powder dry fry the cumin seeds on medium heat until a bit darker in color. Be careful, don’t let them burn. Grind until fine using a mixer/grinder.

For peas filling

  1. Add fresh peas in a mixer/food processor, and grind until a coarse paste forms, keep aside.

  2. Heat oil in a deep frying pan/kadai (non-stick preferably). Add the paste of green peas, salt, and roasted Cumin seeds powder. 

  3. Mix well and cook on medium flame. Stir continuously for 5-6 minutes or until the paste leaves the pan. Care should be taken not to dry up the peas filling too much. The filing should be a bit moist. Remove and keep aside.

For kochuri dough

  1. For making Kochuri the wheat flour part is completely optional but strongly recommended. Many people make kachori using maida only, but I’ve seen my Mom using wheat flour into the dough always. It brings out much better taste than those Kachoris which are made out of maida dough only.

  2. In a bowl add all the ingredients (except water). Mix well using your fingers. The flour mixture will become crumbly in texture. Now add water slowly, and knead until smooth, lump-free dough forms. I knead the dough on my kitchen counter to get a large free space for smooth kneading. The final dough will be smooth, soft and completely non-sticky.

  3. Make balls out of the dough, the size of these balls should be a bit bigger than lemons.

  4. Now press each ball from the center by using your thumb, and put 1 tbsp peas filling. Close the sides by folding them towards the centre and seal the ball.

  5. At the time of rolling apply a few drops of oil on each ball. Do this for one ball at a time, when you begin to roll. And grease the rolling surface with little oil too; you need to do this every time before rolling each ball. 

  6. Start rolling evenly; the approx diameter of kochuri should be 4”. Kochuri should not be very thick, neither very thin. Keep the rolled kochuri aside separated from each other; otherwise, they will stick with one another.

  7. Meanwhile, heat 3 cups of oil in a deep frying pan/kadai. The oil should be hot. Start frying kochuri on high heat, one at a time. When the oil becomes very hot reduce the heat a little bit. But don’t fry them on low heat; otherwise, they wouldn’t be puffed up. It would take less than a minute to fry one kochuri. 

  8. Take them out in a large bowl.

  9. Serve immediately with Cholar dal, Dum aloo, Kosha mangsho etc.

Recipe Notes

If you fry Kochuri for a longer time, they might harden. So, timing is very important here. We want our kochuri to be soft and puffy not hard and crisp.

Koraishutir Kochuri/Peas Kachori
Koraishutir Kochuri/Peas Kachori
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