Kachori is a spicy snack popular in various parts of India including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bengal and Orissa.
Kachori is supposed to have originated in Uttar Pradesh or Rajasthan. In these states it is usually a round flattened ball made of fine flour filled with a stuffing of baked mixture of yellow moong dal or Urad Dal (crushed and washed horse beans), besan (crushed and washed gram flour), black pepper, red chili powder, salt and other spices.
In Gujarat, it is usually a round ball made of flour and dough filled with a stuffing of yellowmoong dal, black pepper, red chili powder, and ginger paste.
In Delhi it is often served as a chaat. Also Delhi has another kind of kachori, called 'Khastakachori' or 'Raj Kachori'.
A variant includes sweet upwas (fast) kachori, made with potato, coconut, and sugar. Kachoris are often served with a chutney, often made from tamarind, mint, or coriander. Another variant is fried and stuffed with pulses (urad and moong especially) and it is generally found in Kutch region in Gujarat. A kachori stuffed with peas is a delicacy in Bengal.
