Spinach Khandvi Rolls and Peas Kachori
Make two different savory items with the same peas filling – spinach khandvi rolls with peas filling and peas filled kachoris.
Ingredients for peas filling:
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1 cup dry green split peas, soaked overnight
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1 ½ cups frozen peas, thawed
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3 tablespoon oil
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1 teaspoon mustard seeds
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1 teaspoon cumin seeds
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½ teaspoon asafetida
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1 teaspoon turmeric
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1 tablespoon sesame seeds
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1 tablespoon ginger paste
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1 tablespoon garlic paste
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2 tablespoon desiccated coconut
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¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
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1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
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T table spoon lemon juice
Ingredients for the kachori pastry dough:
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1 cup wheat flour OR plain flour / all-purpose flour / maida flour
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1 tablespoon oil
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½ teaspoon salt (optional)
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1 tablespoon rice flour
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¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water
Ingredients for the spinach khandvi dough:
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1 cup chana flour / gram flour
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1 cup plain yogurt
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2 cups tightly packed baby spinach
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1 1/4 cup water at room temperature
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1 - 2 serrano green chilies
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1-inch piece of fresh ginger
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1 ½ teaspoon salt, per taste
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2 tablespoon desiccated coconut
To prepare the peas filling:
In a food processor, grind the soaked green peas as fine as possible without any water, and set aside.
Take the green peas and process it till it is fine without adding any water, and set aside.
Take a wok or shallow frying pan. Heat the oil, add in the mustard and cumin seeds. Let them splatter (make sure you have a lid to cover). Add in the asafetida, turmeric and sesame seeds. Immediately add in the dry peas. Stir well and cook the peas on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Now add in the frozen peas, ginger, garlic, coconut and salt. Mix well and cook for 5-7 more minutes. Turn off the heat and add the cilantro, sugar and lemon juice. Mix well and transfer in a large bowl to cool down.
To prepare the kachori pastry dough:
In a mixing bowl, take the plain or wheat flour, rice flour, salt and oil. Mix all the ingredients well. Add in about ¼ cup of the water. Mix well, and add additional water as necessary to make a soft and pliable dough. Portion the dough in 20 parts. Cover and set aside.
To fill the kachori:
Take half of the kachori filling mixture that has now cooled down.
Take one dough ball and roll out in about 4-inch diameter. Place a generous tablespoonful of the filling mixture in the center of the rolled-out dough. Gently lift the edges and seal tight in semi-circle shape. Crimp the edges as shown in the picture. If you don’t know how to crimp, then use a pot sticker mold. Set the filled kachoris on a tray lined with plastic. Once all the kachoris are filled, get ready to deep fry them in hot oil. Fry till golden brown. Drain on paper towel and serve immediately.
Preparation for the khandvi:
Clear your kitchen counter surface or kitchen table top that is flat and smooth in surface. Cut a wide strip of plastic (from a brand-new liner) in 15 inches X 60 inches in length. Tape it down with masking/painter tape so it is secure.
Cooking the spinach khandvi dough:
Put the the flour, yogurt, spinach, water, chilies, ginger and salt in a blender and blend it till the spinach is completely liquified. Taste the mixture for salt. Pour the mixture in a heavy sauce pan and heat the mixture on medium-high heat on the stove. Keep stirring the mixture continuously for about 5 minutes until the mixture starts to bubble. Reduce the heat to medium, keep stirring continuously make sure that the dough does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Continue stirring for a few more minutes till you see the shine in the mixture. To test for doneness, take a small sample of the paste on a flat saucer or the back of a spoon. Let it cool down, then with the push of your thumb see if the dough peels off without sticking to your thumb. If it’s still sticky, cook for a couple more minutes and test again. Remember to keep stirring continuously so it does not scorch at the bottom of the pan. Once the dough is ready, take it over to the prepared surface. With the help of a silicon spatula, take some mixture and glide it thin on the plastic. Remember to go in one quick swift in the same direction. Do not use a spreading motion. Cover the plastic about 10 inches high and continue to glide the rest of the dough on the plastic till you finish the dough. You have to work quickly during this process otherwise the dough with get clumpy if it cools down.
Once the pastry has cooled down, take the other half of the peas filling and spread it gently and evenly over the khandvi dough. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut. Take a pizza cutter and gently cut spread out pastry in 1 ½ to 2-inch-wide strips. Start rolling each strip. Push back the end the is closer to you. Once the dough has lifted off the plastic, continue making a tight roll all the way to make the khandvi. Repeat the process till all the rolls are complete and arrange them in a platter. Khandvi is ready to serve! This version is low fat because you don’t need any tempering.
If you are not serving immediately you can cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Remove from the fridge at least an hour before serving.
[Makes approximately 40 Khandvi and 20 Kachori)
