Lilva Kachori ~ Pigeon Peas Stuffed Savoury

Winter is the best season for leafy and green vegetables. Few vegetables are only available during winters, specially in India. One such vegetable is Lilva / Tuvar / Arhar/ Pigeon Peas. Lilva / Pigeon Peas have close resemblance to Peas. Pigeon peas are both a food crop (dried peas, flour, or green vegetable peas) and a forage/cover crop. In India, split pigeon peas (toor dal) are one of the most popular pulses.

Lilva Kachori is one of the famous Gujarati farsan / savoury snack. These golden crispy kachoris are stuffed with lilva and spices. They are generally prepared during winters as seasonal availability of Lilva and green garlic. Besides lilva, I have also added few green peas as lilva alone makes the stuffing bit bitter. If green garlic is not available, one can use normal garlic as well. Lilva kachoris were also part of the feast prepared during Holi.

Ingredients:
For Stuffing

500gms. Lilva / Green Tuvar / Arhar / Pigeon Peas
100gms. Green Peas
1/2 Cup of Fresh Grated Coconut
3 Tablespoon of Finely Chopped Green Garlic / Dry Normal Garlic
1 Tablespoon of Green chilly paste
1/2 Cup Chopped Coriander leaves
1 Teaspoon of Cumin seeds
2 Teaspoon of Coriander powder
1 Teaspoon of Cumin powder
1 Teaspoon of Turmeric powder
1/2 Teaspoon of Hing (Asafoedita)
1 Teaspoon of sugar
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 Tablespoon of Kish Mish (Raisins)
2 Tablespoon of Cashew nuts
1 Tablespoon of Garam Masala
Salt to taste
Oil

For Dough
1 Cup of Wheat Flour
1 Cup of Maida (All purpose flour / self raising flour)
1 Tablespoon of Kalonji / dry Onion seeds (Optional)
Oil to knead the dough
Salt to taste

Method:
1. For kneading the dough, take wheat flour and maida, sprinkle salt and kalonji. Now add few drops of oil and mix with the flour till it has bread crumbs like consistency. Add water to the flour and knead the dough. The dough consistency should be smooth and soft. Once the dough is kneaded, spread oil on ur palms and grease and knead the dough again with your hands. Keep aside the dough till we prepare the stuffing mixture.

2. In a blender, place lilva and green peas. Grind them coarsely, without adding water. Soak the raisins in a warm water.
3. In a pan, heat the oil. Add finely chopped garlic and cumin seeds. Once seeds starts spluttering add turmeric powder, coriander powder and cumin seeds powder.
4. Once the dry masalas are cooked added coarsely grinded lilva and green peas mixture, salt, green chilly paste and sugar and mix it with the cooked masalas. Now cook the lilva mixture without adding water. Keep stirring the mixture.
5. Once the mixture is about to be cooked, add garam masala powder, grated coconut, cashew nuts, raisins and lemon juice and again stir the mixture and allow it to cook for few minutes.

6. Once the mixture is cooked completely, allow it to cool.
7. Roll out small puris from the dough and add the cooked lilva mixture. Give desired shape to the kachoris. I have given half moon shape. One can give round ball shape as well. This way roll out and stuff all the kachoris.

8. Deep fry all the kachoris and serve it with any green chutney and ketchup

This is my entry for my very own Holi Hai! Event

This entry also goes for Roma's JFI - Wheat event as well.