Green Chili and Other Impostors by Nina Mukerjee Furstenau

Author:Nina Mukerjee Furstenau
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Iowa Press
Published: 2022-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Koraishutir Kochuri

PUFFED BREAD WITH GREEN PEA FILLING

Recipe courtesy of Ria Banerjee

Serves 6–8

1-1/4 cups fresh or frozen green peas

1 green chili

8 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying

1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons ginger, mashed to a paste

2 pounds all-purpose flour

Before you begin, keep 2 cups of water handy. Next blend the peas and green chili into a smooth paste with a hand masher or blender. If you use a blender, add 1–2 tablespoons water. Set aside. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a medium-sized pan. Add the pea paste, cumin seeds, salt, sugar, and ginger paste. Stir and fry, being careful not to scorch the mixture, until it becomes very thick and the color darkens, about 15 minutes, or until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Set aside.

Mix the flour and the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil in a large bowl using your fingers. Add enough water—begin by adding 1/2 cup at a time—to make a firm dough that is smooth when rolled between your palms. Knead the dough on a clean hard surface sprinkled with a little flour until it is soft, about 6–8 minutes. Pinch off the dough into balls, roll them between your palms, then flatten them with your fingers into disks 3 inches in diameter and about 1/4-inch thick. Press a tablespoon of the pea mixture into the dough disk, taking care to put the mixture in the center. Beginners, try a smaller dollop of pea mixture first. The important thing is to seal the kochuri properly so it will puff up while frying. Fold the sides over the top of the filling and pinch the dough to seal it closed. Using your palms, flatten it slightly, checking to make sure the seams are closed. The uncooked filled kochuri will resemble a flat-topped round soft puck about 1/2-inch thick. Using a rolling pin, gently roll each filled kochuri to a round about 4 inches in diameter.

Heat 1–2 inches oil in a small wok or deep-sided pan. When the oil is hot, fry each kochuri, tapping and spinning it slightly in the oil with the back of a slotted spoon to encourage it to puff up into a round. Turn it over and fry until cooked through, about 20 seconds. Remove the kochuri with a slotted spoon and place it in a bowl lined with paper towels. Serve warm.

This bread is flaky and light as long as it puffs up in the hot oil. If it does not, remember that practice is the key and don’t be discouraged. Sealing the mixture inside the dough without creating holes can be tricky and is something to celebrate once you have mastered it.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.