Follow Fire Safety in the Kitchen

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Preventing fires in homes and apartment building might just start in residents' kitchens. Since hot oven ranges and so many other household electrical appliances belong in the kitchen, it's not surprising that fires typically start in kitchens. To prevent an accidental fire, please take the following precautions for kitchen fire safety.

• Unplug kitchen appliances, such as coffee makers, toaster ovens, mixers, and can openers. They're a fire hazard if they remain plugged in while they're not in use. Appliances also continue to use electricity, even when they're not turned on. To save on your power bill and prevent sparks from unnoticed damage to cords and outlets, unplug appliances when not in use.

• Keep appliance cords away from the stove top, toaster oven and other hot surfaces. Heat is a common cause of damage to cords, and damaged cords cause fires.

• Check electrical cords frequently for damage, and don't use appliances with damaged cords. If you notice damage to the cord but must use the appliance, at least wrap the damaged cord with electrical tape until you can get a replacement.

• Never forget to turn off the stove burners and oven after you've finished. Remembering to turn off the stove, especially during a busy holiday, can be easier said than done. At least be in the habit to never set tableware and serving dishes on the range in case you accidentally forget to turn it off. Plastic can melt on the range. Besides damaging the stove's heating elements, melted plastic can catch fire. Even more dangerous than plastic, ceramic left on a hot range will explode.

• Don't wear loose fitting clothing while you cook. Bath robes, gauzy frocks, and baggy sweaters could ignite if you they got caught in the waffle iron.

• Don't overload outlets, and make sure you use proper fuses in your home.

Of course, each kitchen should be equipped with a fire extinguisher, and children should be well versed in putting out minor kitchen fires.

Khasta Kachodi ICC Jan 2010

While coming back from India in January bought Tarla Dalal's Non-Fried Snacks Cookbook. It had a recipe of Baked Kachodi, tried it one day, but i couldnt get it Well Cooked. I Checked with Priya too, she gave me some tips on that, but i havent tried it yet. I was so happy to see the same kachodi recipe fo this month's ICC. Only Difference this is Fried, no need to say, the Love  we have for Fried Foodzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!

Thanks a ton to Medhaa and Srivalli for choosing this as January month Challenge. Enjoyed making them, they Vanished jus like that from the plate. I choose to make Moong Dal and Green Peas Filling.

Resting Time for the Dough is app 1/2 hr - 1 hr
Frying time for the Kachoris - 20 mins for each batch app.
Soaking Time for the Filling is app. 1 hr
Cooking Time for the Filling is app 15 mins
Yields - 15

Ingredients : For the Dough
All purpose flour / Maida - 2 cups
Oil/ Ghee - 1/4 cup ,
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Water for kneading

Method : Making the Dough

Mix the flour and salt, Add the oil/ghee and mix till you get a bread crumbs texture.Slowly add water and make a soft dough. Knead well for about 8 minutes.Cover and keep aside to rest for atleast half hour.

Special Tips / Notes for the dough:

Keep the dough covered at all times, if not it will dry up and not puff up when frying. If the dough is made right wet cloth can be used if not just a towel.

The dough could spring back for many reasons:
Dough is too cold (If wet cloth is used)
Dough is not soft enough.
Not kneaded for enough time.
Oil is less.
Not rested enough.


Ingredients : Khasta Kachori - Moong Dal Kachori

Split Moong Dal (yellow) - 1/2 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry Leaves - 2 tsp chopped fine (opt)
Green Chilli - Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Sauf / Fennel seeds powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Mango powder / Amchur - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method

Wask and Soak dal in water for atleast 1 hour. You can go upto 4 hours not more. Drain the water well. Grind the dal to a coarsely. (Will resemble Idli Rawa). Heat oil in a pan. Add the hing and cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter add the curry leaves. Add the dal. Lower the heat and keep stirring for 5 minutes till the dal stops sticking to the pan. Cook for another 10 minutes on low till the dal turns slightly brown. Add all the masalas. Cook for few minutes till the aroma of the spices hit you. Add Salt. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool.

Ingredients : Muttar Ki Kachori/Green Pea Filling from Tarla Dalal
2 cups green peas
1 teaspoon green chillies, chopped
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
2 teaspoons fennel seeds (saunf)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
4 tablespoons chopped coriander
2 tablespoons oil
salt

Method

Corarsely grind the green peas,green chillies and ginger in a blender without using any water. Keep aside. Heat the oil in a pan,add the nigella seeds,fennel seeds,bay leaves and ground green pea mixture and saute over a very slow flame for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chilli powder,garam masala,coriander and salt and saute for 2 more minutes. Remove the bay leavess and discard. Divide into 12 equal portions.

To Make Kachori's

Make a small ball from the dough. Roll out into a 2 inch diameter circle. Or flatten the ball using your fingers having the center thick and sides little thin. Place about 1.5 tsp of the filling in the center of the rolled dough. Cover the filling with the dough by slowly stretching it over the filling. Seal the ends and remove excess dough. Repeat with all the balls and keep aside for 5 -7 mins.

Then using your palm, flatten the balls by lightly pressing it, as using the rolling pin will make the filling come out. Keep aside covered. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Meanwhile heat some oil for deep frying. The oil should not become smoking hot. Test to see if the temperature is right by dropping a tiny ball of dough and see if it is rising slowly to the top. Drop the kachoris in batches of 3-4 gently into the oil. It should rise up slowly. If you don't want to use lot of oil, use just enough for two or three at a time and fry them. After it rises up (about 2 minutes), turn it over.

Cook for about 6 to 10 minutes till the side down gets a golden brown color. Turn and cook the other side for another 6 minutes or till its golden brown in color. Remove when done, cool and store in airtight container.

Serve with coriander chutney and tamarind chutney.

Pyaz Ki Kachori ~For Indian Cooking Challenge

Indian cooking challengers were given Kachori as part of the Jan challenge. I have made kachoris before using urad dal filling. So decided to go for the easier onion filling. This time I made the outer covering using only maida. It sure resulted in more flaky crust. Medhaa of Cook with love has given the tried and tested recipe. I halved the orginal recipe and got 6 kachoris. Thanks Srivalli and Medhaa for coming up with this challenge.

For the Dough



You need
All purpose flour / Maida - 1 cup

 Ghee - 2 tblspn
Salt - 1/4 tsp

Water for kneading



Method

Mix the flour and salt, Add the ghee and mix till you get a bread crumbs texture. Slowly add water and make a soft dough. Knead well for about 8 minutes. Cover and keep aside to rest for atleast half hour.



Special Tips / Notes for the dough:


Keep the dough covered at all times, if not it will dry up and not puff up when frying. If the dough is made right wet cloth can be used if not just a towel.

The dough could spring back for many reasons:

Dough is too cold (If wet cloth is used)

Dough is not soft enough.

Not kneaded for enough time.

Oil is less.

Not rested enough.
 
 



For the onion filling



Finely chopped onions - 1  cup

Nigella/Kalonj seeds - 1/2 tspn
fennel seeds/saunf - 1 tpsn

Green chilly - 1, finely chopped

Besan - 1 tblspn

Coriander powder - 1 tspn

Chilly powder - 1/2 tspn

Kitchen king masala -1/2 tspn
Chopped coriander
Oil - 1 tblspn

salt to taste


To make the onion filling


Heat the oil in a pan. Add the nigella seeds, fennel seeds,  green chillies and onions and sauté till the onions turn light brown in colour.

Add the gram flour, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala and salt and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the chopped coriander and mix well.  Allow the mixture to cool completely.

Divide into 6 equal portions and keep aside.



To Make Kachori's

Make a small ball from the dough. Flatten the ball using your fingers into 2inch diameter circle, having the center thick and sides little thin.

Place about 1.5 tsp of the filling in the center of the rolled dough.

Cover the filling with the dough by slowly stretching it over the filling. Seal the ends and remove excess dough. Repeat with all the balls and keep aside for 5 -7 mins.



Then using your palm, flatten the balls by lightly pressing it, as using the rolling pin will make the filling come out.  Keep aside covered. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Meanwhile heat some oil for deep frying. The oil should not become smoking hot. Test to see if the temperature is right by dropping a tiny ball of dough and see if it is rising slowly to the top.

Drop the kachoris in batches of 3-4 gently into the oil. It should rise up slowly. If you don't want to use lot of oil, use just enough for two or three at a time and fry them. After it rises up (about 2 minutes), turn it over.
Cook for about 6 to 10 minutes till the side down gets a golden brown color. Turn and cook the other side for another 6 minutes or till its golden brown in color.
Making onion filling is quite easy and gets down in less time.

Remove when done, cool and store in airtight container.