Raj Kachori
Raj kachori recipe with step by step pics. Raj kachori is aptly called as the king of all kachoris or a king sized kachori simply because it is royal, rich and splendid dish. The raj kachori recipe I am sharing is a slightly simplified or easier version as I have not added any lentil or besan (gram flour) stuffing in the kachori. Instead I have added the besan (gram flour) in the dough.
About Raj Kachori
A dish as grand and huge in flavors, textures as well as looks deserves a name like this – Raj Kachori. It is thus, the ‘raja’ or ‘king,’ when it comes to kachoris. While you must have literally devoured on this royal creation at various iconic chaat and snack centres in India, with this recipe, you can easily recreate the decadent magic at your home.
This recipe gives you a crisp kachori. The crispiness stays for some time if you leave the kachoris open. If you place them in an air-tight jar, the crispiness will be there for a few weeks.
Even raj kachori is hailed as the king of kachoris, my personal favorite chaat snack similar to raj kachori is Katori chaat. The stuffing that goes in tokri chaat is same as that of raj kachori. Only the outer shell is made of fried grated potatoes.
Making chaat snacks like raj kachori take time. so you can either make the stuffing elements ready a day earlier or make the kachoris a day earlier. Usually I make the stuffing elements a day earlier. So I make the chutneys and keep them in fridge. I also cook the chana and keep in fridge.
The recipe of the kachori is loosely adapted from Sanjeev’s Kapoor book chaat. This is a lovely book to have if you like chaat and there are some unique chaat recipes as well.
The method of making the kachori is similar to the way Pani poori is made. Fine sooji or rava is one of the main ingredient in the dough and this gives crispness to the dough.
Basically you can compare raj kachori to a large Pani puri with various chaat item stuffings in it. This recipe of raj kachori gives 10 to 11 kachoris. The recipe can be halved or doubled easily.
In this post, I am sharing the method to make the kachori and the assembling of the kachoris. to make the chaat elements, please check the following links:
- Sweet tamarind chutney
- Mint coriander chutney
- Green chaat chutney
- Papdi (can be also got from the market)
- Boondi can be brought from the market.
You will also need boiled green moong beans or moong sprouts and boiled chana. For both moong and chana, soak them separately in water overnight. Then cook them separately with enough water to which some salt has been added.
Boiled potatoes are also added. You can cook the potatoes along with moong in a pan or pressure cooker. If you want you can skip adding moong beans or sprouts.
Raj kachori is a festive snack and so best served during festive occasions or special occasions.
How to make Raj Kachori
A) making raj kachori dough
1. Take 1 cup fine rava (160 grams semolina), 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour and 2 tablespoons besan (gram flour) in a mixing bowl. Do note that the sooji or rava has to be fine and not semi-coarse or coarse.
2. Add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon fennel powder and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper powder. Also add ⅛ teaspoon baking soda or 2 to 3 pinches of it.
3. Drizzle 1 teaspoon oil.
4. With clean fingertips mix everything very well.
5. Then add 7 to 8 tablespoons water in parts and begin to knead the dough.
6. Add water as required and begin to knead to a firm dough.
7. The dough should not be soft. It should be firm. In case the dough looks wet initially, then no need to worry. Continue to knead and the rava will absorb the water eventually. Knead very well for about 10 minutes.
If the dough looks dry, then add some more water.
8. Cover the dough with a moist kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
9. After 30 minutes, knead the dough again and make medium sized balls from the dough. Cover the dough balls with a moist kitchen napkin, so that they do not become dry.
10. Take the dough ball and gently roll it to a 4 to 5 inches diameter round. Do not make the kachoris too thin nor thick. Roll evenly. You can roll all the kachoris and keep them covered with a moist kitchen towel. Or you can simultaneously roll and fry together.
Frying raj kachori
11. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai. Add a tiny piece of the dough in the medium hot oil. If it comes up gradually and steadily on top, the kachoris can be fried.
12. Gently slid the kachori in the medium hot oil.
13. The kachori will come up on top in a couple of seconds as soon as you add it.
14. Gently nudge the kachori with the slotted spoon, so that it puffs up.
15. The kachori should puff up well like a Poori.
16. Fry till the base is golden and then turn over the kachori with a slotted spoon.
17. Turn again and continue to fry. Gently press the edges with the slotted spoon so that they also get fried well. You can turn the kachori a couple of times often to get an even golden color.
18. Fry till the crust is crisp and golden. Then carefully remove crispy fried kachoris with a slotted spoon draining extra oil and keep on kitchen paper towels for extra oil to be absorbed.
This way fry all raj kachoris on medium heat.
Assembling and making raj kachori
19. Assemble all the chaat ingredient elements before you start making raj kachori. Take one kachori and keep it in a serving plate or bowl.
20. Break the top crust of the kachori with a spoon or with your thumb. Create enough space inside for the chaat ingredients to occupy.
20. Add some boiled chana or as required.
21. Add some boiled and peeled potatoes cubes.
22. Next add some boiled moong or steamed moong sprouts.
23. Top with some beaten curd.
24. Next add green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney as required.
25. Sprinkle some black salt, roasted cumin powder and red chili powder, as required.
26. Crush some papdi and top it on the raj kachori.
27. Add some boondi.
28. Sprinkle some sev on top.
29. Lastly garnish with add some pomegranate arils and chopped coriander leaves.
30. Serve raj kachori chaat straight away. This way assemble and make all raj kachoris. Serve immediately for the best taste and texture.
The recipe can be scaled easily as per your requirements.
Some more tasty kachori varieties I have already shared are:
- Kachori recipe (with video and step by step pics)
- Matar kachori
- Koraishutir kachori
- Urad dal ki kachori
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
for raj kachori
- 1 cup fine rava or 160 grams fine rava (sooji or cream of wheat or semolina)
- 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons besan (gram flour)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- ¼ teaspoon fennel powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda or 2 to 3 pinches
- 7 to 8 tablespoons water or add as required
- oil as required – for deep frying
for chaat stuffing
- 1.5 cups boiled chana
- 1.5 cups boiled moong or steamed moong sprouts
- 1.5 cups boiled and peeled potatoes cubes
- 10 to 12 papdi
- fine sev – as required
- Chaat Masala Powder – as required
- ⅓ cup Green Chutney
- ⅓ cup sweet chutney
- ½ cup beaten curd (yogurt)
- black salt – as required
- Roasted Cumin Powder – as required
- Red Chili Powder – as required
- finely chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves) – as required
Instructions
making raj kachori dough
- Take 1 cup fine rava (160 grams), 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour (atta) and 2 tablespoons besan (gram flour) in a mixing bowl.
- Add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon saunf powder and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper powder. Also add ⅛ teaspoon baking soda or 2 to 3 pinches of it.
- Drizzle 1 teaspoon oil. with clean fingertips mix everything very well.
- Then add 7 to 8 tablespoons water in parts and begin to knead the dough.
- Add water as required and begin to knead to a firm dough.
- The dough should not be soft. It should be firm. In case the dough looks wet initially, then no need to worry. Continue to knead and the rava will absorb the water eventually. Knead very well for about 10 minutes. If the dough looks dry, then add some more water.
- Cover the dough with a moist kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, knead the dough again and make medium sized balls from the dough. Cover the dough balls with a moist kitchen napkin, so that they do not become dry.
- Take the dough ball and gently roll it to a 4 to 5 inches diameter round.
- Do not make the kachoris too thin nor thick. Roll evenly. You can roll all the kachoris and keep them covered with a moist kitchen towel. Or you can simultaneously roll and fry together.
frying raj kachori
- Heat oil for deep frying kachori in a kadai. Add a tiny piece of the dough in the oil. If it comes up gradually and steadily on top, the kachoris can be fried.
- Gently slid the kachori in the medium hot oil.
- The kachori will come up on top in a couple of seconds as soon as you add it.
- Gently nudge the kachori with the slotted spoon, so that it puffs up.
- The kachori should puff up well like a poori.
- Fry till the base is golden and then turn over the kachori with a slotted spoon.
- Turn again and continue to fry. Gently press the edges with the slotted spoon so that they also get fried well. You can turn the kachori a couple of times often to get an even golden color.
- Fry till the crust is crisp and golden. Then remove crispy fried kachoris with a slotted spoon and keep on kitchen paper towels for extra oil to be absorbed. This way fry all raj kachoris on medium flame.
assembling and making raj kachori
- Assemble all the chaat ingredient elements before you start making raj kachori. Take one kachori and keep it in a serving plate or bowl.
- Break the top crust of the kachori and create enough space inside for the chaat ingredients to occupy.
- First add some boiled chana or as required.
- Then add some boiled and peeled potatoes cubes.
- Next add some boiled moong or steamed moong sprouts. Top with some beaten curd.
- Next add green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney as required.
- Sprinkle some black salt, roasted cumin powder and red chili powder, as required.
- Crush some papdi and top it on the raj kachori. Add some boondi. sprinkle some sev on top.
- Lastly garnish with add some pomegranate arils and chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve raj kachori chaat straight away. This way assemble and make all raj kachoris. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
This Raj Kachori post from the archives, originally published in March 2018 has been updated and republished on January 2023.
Hi, I think you forget to mention that the suji has to be very fine else it will not work. I just used suji which I used for Upma and which is coarse and it was a disaster. Otherwise, the recipe seems fine.
i am sorry to hear this. the sooji has to be fine. usually i mention about the sooji in many recipes, but in this one i forgot. i will update the post. thanks for letting me know.