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Kachori Pinwheels
5 from 12 votes

Kachori Pinwheels

Kachori Pinwheels fill flaky vegan puff pastry with a spiced moong dal and seed filling. The filling’s combination of toasted fennel and coriander seeds with warm spices and aromatics produces a flavorful savory swirl inside crisp baked pastry. This snack is naturally vegan and can be sliced into rounds or made into hand-held pockets for variety.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Soak time
8 hrs
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 136 kcal
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup moong dal or use red lentils, aka petite yellow lentils/split green mung beans; or urad dal (skinned black matpe beans); soaked overnight or at least 4 hours
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 2 teaspoons neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
  • 1 teaspoon chickpea flour
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons kashmiri chili powder or paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or Indian red chili powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder, paste
  • 1 tablespoon ginger minced
  • 1 green chili minced
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • water as needed
  • 1 x9 inch puff pastry vegan, sheet

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. 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
  3. 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.
  4. Add in the ginger and garlic and green chili and cook for 10 seconds.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. Brush the tops with a little bit of water or non-dairy milk. Bake at 400ºF (205ºC) for 17-19 minutes or until golden.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.

Notes

  • You can shape the filling into rectangular puffs sealed on the edges instead of pinwheels for variety.
  • Make smaller pinwheels for shorter baking times to keep filling moist and avoid dryness.
  • Using a thicker baking sheet or ceramic dish helps prevent filling from crisping too much on the bottom.
  • Gluten-free options are available by using a gluten-free pie crust instead of puff pastry.
  • Prepare ahead by assembling and freezing pinwheels, then bake them frozen, adding a few extra minutes to baking time.

Nutrition Information

Calories 136kcal (7%) Carbohydrates 14g (5%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 4g (20%) Trans Fat 0.003g (0%) Sodium 160mg (7%) Potassium 49mg (1%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 135IU (3%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 16mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 136

% Daily Value*

Calories 136kcal 7%
Carbohydrates 14g 5%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g 20%
Trans Fat 0.003g 0%
Sodium 160mg 7%
Potassium 49mg 1%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 135IU 3%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 16mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.