Karaishutir kachori(Green Peas Kachori) & Dum Aloo in North Indian Style

This is a full meal idea from me, which I make when I'm in a mood to make something special... it's Karaishuti'r Kachori or green peas kachori, a bengali delicacy, deep fried bread stuffed with green peas and Dum Aloo, a North Indian Style Spicy potato curry. Both goes very well together, complementing each other.

Karaishuti'r/Matarshuti'r Kachori (Green Peas Kachori)

It is a famous and all bengalees beloved delicacy, generally made during winter season when fresh green peas available. But nowadays, with the blessings of Giant Supermarkets, you can get frozen green peas throughout the year. It is a small deep fried bread made with white flour(maida) and stuffed with spice mixed mashed up green peas. It just melts in your mouth.

Ingredients :
All pose Flour(maida) : 2 cups
Ghee/oil : 2 tblsp.
Salt to taste
For green peas filling
Green peas(fresh or frozen) : 1 cup
Ginger :1" (Grate and squeeze out the juice)
Cumin seed : 1tsp.
Dry red chilli : 1
Fennel/Aniseed/Saunf : 2 tblsp.(grind into powder)
Red chilli powder : 2 tsp. (as per taste)
Sugar : 1 tsp.
Oil for frying

Method :

Prep: Dry roast cumin seed and dry red chilli until brown. Remove and grind immediately and store into a container to preserve the flavour. You can store for further use.
Take flour in a big bowl, add ghee/oil and 1/2 tsp. salt, mix well with the flour, then add enough water to make a tight dough. Keep aside.
To make the filling : If using fresh peas, boil them for few minutes. Then grind into a paste with very little water. Heat 1 tblsp. oil in a pan, add the peas paste and stirring continuously, dry up all the moisture. when all the water evaporates, add roasted masala powder, chilli powder and grounded fennel seed powder. Add sugar and salt. When mixed well together, remove from heat and let it cool a bit.
To make kachoris : From flour dough make small balls. With a rolling pan, widen each ball a bit, put 1 tblsp. filling in the center, and seal it again carefully from all sides. Make a round ball again. Stuff other flour balls with filling same way like this.
Now take one stuffed ball and flatten the ball 3-4 inch wide pressing very gently. Take care not to break the outer cover. The filling should not come out of it.
Heat enough oil in a pan for deep frying. Carefully drop one rolled out bread into oil through the side of the pan. Press one side of the bread with a spatula, once that side is puffed up, flip to the other side and fry until lightly browned. Take out from oil. Drain the excess oil on a paper towel.
Kachori is ready to serve. Always make just before serve, it doesn't taste the same when cold. Fry other kachoris same way.

Dum Aloo in North Indian Style (baby potatoes in thick gravy)

Ingredients :

Baby potatoes : 20-25nos.
Onion : 2(medium-grated)
Tomatoes : 2(medium-pureed)
Ginger-garlic paste : 3tblsp.
Cumin seeds :1 and 1/2 tsp.
Poppy seeds : 1 tblsp.
Red chilli powder : 1tsp.
Turmeric powder : 2 tsp.
Cardamom : 2
Cloves : 4
Dry red chilli : 1(big)
Cinnamon : 2(1" stick)
Bay leaves : 1-2
Yoghurt/Curd : 1/2 cup(beaten)
Oil : 3-4 tblsp.
Sugar : 1 tsp.
Salt to taste
Garam masala powder : 1 tsp.

Method :

On a hot tawa/pan, roast together cardamoms, cloves, cumin seeds and poppy seeds. Grind roasted ingredients into powder. Grind together onion, ginger and garlic into paste, add roasted powdered masala into it, keep aside.
Meanwhile, boil unpeeled potataoes in a pressure cooker until tender, not overboiled. Remove and peel the potatoes.
In a pan, heat oil, fry potatoes adding little salt from all sides until golden brown. Remove on a paper towel.
In the same pan, add 2 tblsp. oil, add whole red chillies, cinnman and bay leaves and 1/2 tsp. of cumin seeds. Stir for a few seconds, then add grated onion paste and fry till golden brown. Add roasted powder, tomato puree, salt, chilli and turmeric powder.
Keep stirring, stir for 3-4 minutes, then lower the flame to sim, add curd little by little, mixing well with the masala paste. Stir fry till oil seperates. Add fried potatoes and stir gently to coat the potatoes with the masala. Add sugar at this moment.
Add 1/2 - 2/3 cup water and in low flame let it cook. When water dries up and gravy thicken, check the seasoning. Add if needed. Remove from heat. Add Garam masala powder. Stir and serve hot.