Frozen Kachori

Kachori is a deep fried pastry ball made with a short, flaky dough and a spiced filling. Matar kachori, or peas kachori, is filled with green peas cooked with ginger, green chilli, fennel and hing, and it is the version most often found frozen. Other regional styles use moong dal, as in Rajasthani khasta kachori, or onion, as in the pyaaz kachori of Jodhpur. The pastry should be crisp and hollow under the crust, with the filling packed in the centre.

Eat kachori warm with sweet tamarind chutney and a sharp green chutney, or with a bowl of aloo sabzi as it is served for breakfast in Uttar Pradesh. For kachori chaat, break the top, add yoghurt, chutneys, chopped onion, sev and a pinch of chaat masala. Put them out with samosas for a mixed tea time plate.

Cook kachori from frozen in a hot oven or air fryer until golden and hot all the way through, or deep fry them over a low to medium heat so the thick pastry cooks evenly without darkening too fast. Let them rest a minute before biting, as the filling holds its heat. Keep opened and unopened packs at -18°C and cook any that have thawed. See the rest of the freezer snacks under frozen snacks and sides.