Pyaaz kachori
Photo: Harshitdenovo · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

Kachori is a deep-fried stuffed pastry that Wikipedia places in the Marwar region of Rajasthan, and Lifestyle Asia says food historians trace the onion version to Marwar, probably Jodhpur, before Jaipur made it its own. Condé Nast Traveller India calls Rawat Misthan Bhandar's flatter and larger than usual, with onion, garlic and tangy potato in the filling; Rawat's own site says it was founded in 1972. Lifestyle Asia finds Samrat's smaller than Rawat's but stronger on spice.

Book a food experience

Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.

Browse every bookable food experience

Common allergens: Gluten

Make it at home

Yield Makes 10 kachoriHands-on 50 minTotal 1 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 250g plain flour
  • 4 tablespoons ghee or oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt and about 110ml water
  • 2 tablespoons oil, for the filling
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and a pinch of asafoetida
  • 2 onions, finely chopped (about 300g)
  • 1 boiled potato, mashed (about 100g)
  • 1 tablespoon gram flour
  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and 1/2 teaspoon dried mango powder
  • Salt and a handful of chopped coriander
  • About 1 litre oil, for deep frying

Method

  1. Rub the ghee into the flour and salt, add the water and knead a firm, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Heat the 2 tablespoons oil, add the fennel, cumin and asafoetida, then the onions, and cook for 8 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
  3. Add the potato, gram flour, spices and salt and cook for 4 minutes until dry, then stir in the coriander and cool completely.
  4. Divide the dough into 10 balls. Flatten each, put a spoonful of filling in the middle, seal and roll gently into a flat disc about 8cm across.
  5. Heat the frying oil to about 160C. Fry the kachori in batches over a medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until puffed and deep golden.
  6. Drain and eat hot with tamarind and coriander chutneys.

Tip from the editors. Fry on a medium-low heat; if the oil is too hot the crust browns before the layers have puffed.

Where to eat pyaaz kachori

Pyaaz kachori in Jaipur

Rawat Mishthan Bhandar ★ 3.8

$ Street foodMi Road

Rawat Mishthan Bhandar fries pyaaz kachori and sweet mawa kachori at its main shop on Station Road in Sindhi Camp, Jaipur, from early morning to late evening.

OrderA pyaaz kachori, then the mawa kachori dipped in warm sugar syrup.

TipThe restaurant has a dedicated family seating section, and the shop opens at 06:30 every day.

Directions

Sodhani Sweets (Bapu Nagar) ★ 3.9

$ Street foodTonk Road

Sodhani Sweets on Tonk Road at Bapu Nagar, Jaipur, is a sweet shop known for crisp pyaz kachori, with jalebi and kulhad lassi, from 07:00 daily.

OrderPyaz kachori with tamarind chutney, a kulhad lassi and jalebi.

TipTime Out reports a big Sunday-morning crowd for the kachori; Sodhani has several outlets and this entry is the Tonk Road shop.

Directions

Samrat Restaurant ★ 4.2

$ Street foodOld City

Samrat Restaurant at 273 Chaura Rasta in Jaipur sells pyaaz kachori, samosas and poha, and a crowd gathers for them early each morning in the old city.

OrderThe pyaaz ki kachori with tamarind and coriander chutneys, or bedmi poori with aloo sabzi.

TipGo early, before the morning crowd builds; the Chaura Rasta shop is the one Outlook Traveller's local writer recommends.

Directions

Sampat Namkeen Bhandar ★ 4.4

$ Street foodOld CityCash only

Sampat Namkeen Bhandar in Chandpole Bazaar, Jaipur, has fried spicy aloo kachori with an unpeeled-potato filling since 1936, by Time Out's account.

OrderThe aloo kachori, which comes without chutney; expect to want a second.

Why locals goLifestyle Asia places it in the cramped lanes of Chandpole, a no-nonsense stall that often sells out by 12:00, so late risers miss it.

TipBring cash, because the shop does not take online payments; it is opposite Darbar School on Baba Harishchandra Marg.

Directions

All Jaipur signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want pyaaz kachori covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →