Kachori Pinwheels

5 from 4 votes

These savory Kachori Pinwheels are the perfect bite-sized snack for your next party! Savory puff pastry filled with a boldly spiced lentil (moong dal) filling. Nutfree Soyfree Recipe.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Soak time8

Total Time55

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Indian vegan snack

Servings:

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

1/2 cup moong dal(petite yellow lentils/split green mung beans) or urad dal (skinned black matpe beans) soaked overnight or atleast 4 hours , or use red lentils
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons oil
1 teaspoon chickpea flour
½ teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder or use paprika
½ teaspoon of cayenne or Indian red chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garlic paste or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 green chili minced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon salt
Water as needed
1 9x9 inch vegan puff pastry sheet

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Drain the soaking dal. Add to blender or food processor and process until the mixture is a coarsely blended textured mixture but not entirely smooth. See pictures. Set aside.
In a spice grinder or a blender with a grinder blade, add the fennel seeds and coriander seeds and blend until they are ground into a meal but not a fine powder
In a skillet, add oil and heat over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the ground-up fennel seeds and coriander seeds and cook until the mixture is starting to get fragrant. Depending on your stove, or pan this might take 15-30 seconds. Then add in the rest of the ground spices and mix in.
Add in the ginger and garlic and green chili and cook for 10 seconds.
Then add in your mashed up moong dal, salt and cilantro and mix really well. Press and mix in so that all the spices and dal are mixed in really well. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is starting to dry and dal is starting to get roasted.
Add in ¼ cup of water and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes until water is somewhat incorporated in the mixture. So that it’s not entirely dried out. Carefully taste and adjust salt. Cook a few minutes longer if you can taste the rawness in the lentils. Splash water as needed during cooking so the lentils don’t dry out too much. Then take off heat and let it cool.
If you haven’t thawed your pastry, let sit on the counter for 15-20 minutes. Roll it out into 11x13 inch or similar sized rectangle.
Once filling is cooled down to room temperature, spread it on the rolled out pastry sheet. Leave ½ inch on the sides so that it’s easy to roll the pinwheels.
Roll up pastry until evenly rolled. (Roll whichever side is easier to roll and make smaller pinwheels). Use some water on edges and then seal it.
Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the pinwheels into about ½ to ¾ inch thick slices. Place the pinwheels on a parchment lined baking sheet (use double layer of parchment sheets) or use a thick ceramic or stoneware baking dish.
Brush the tops with a little bit of water or non-dairy milk. Bake at 400ºF (205ºC) for 17-19 minutes or until golden.
Check if the centers of the pinwheels puff pastry are cooked or not. (If the tops /top lentils are browning or crisping too quickly, cover the pan with parchment.) If not you’ll want to bake them for another 2 minutes or so then remove from oven.
Let them sit for a few minutes then serve immediately as is or with some tamarind chutney or mango chutney.
Store: Store in covered container on the counter for the day, refrigerate for upto 4 days. Reheat in the oven for 5 mins to crisp up. Depending on the moisture content in the lentils, they will soften a bit or more.

Video

Notes

Be sure to use a double sheet so that the filling doesn’t burn at the bottom.
Make thinner and smaller vegan pinwheels so that you don't have to bake them too long. Longer bake time can dry out or crisp up the filling. To avoid too crisped filling, use thicker baking sheet or a ceramic baking dish
Glutenfree: Use a gluten-free pie crust of choice
Make ahead: Roll the pastry with the filling, seal, slice and freeze. Bake directly from the freezer. The bake time might need additional few minutes

You can also use this filling to make rectangle puffs instead. Instead of pinwheels you can cut up rolled up puff pastry sheets into 3x5 inch rectangles then place the filling on one side of the rectangle. Use water along the edges of the rectangles and then seal it so that It’s like a pizza pocket and bake. Or make a larger pie like my samosa pie.

Nutrition