Khasta kachori with aloo sabzi

Step 1: Soak 2 ⅞ oz urad dal (split, skinless) in plenty of water for 3 hours, then drain thoroughly.

Step 2: Rub ¼ cup vegetable oil into 9 oz plain flour (maida) and ¾ tsp salt with your fingertips for 3–4 minutes, until it holds in a clump when pressed. Add ½ cup cold water gradually to make a firm, rough dough, cover and rest for 30 minutes.

Step 3: Grind the drained dal without water to a coarse crumb. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat, crackle 2 tsp fennel seeds and 1 tsp cumin seeds, then add ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing), 1 tbsp fresh ginger and 1 tsp black peppercorns.

Step 4: Add the ground dal and roast, stirring constantly, for 8–10 minutes until it turns dry, crumbly and lightly golden and smells toasted. Stir in 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp dried mango powder (amchur) and ½ tsp salt, cook for 1 minute and cool completely.

Step 5: Divide the dough into 8 balls and the filling into 8. Flatten each ball into a 9 cm round with thin edges, fill, pleat and seal, then turn seam-side down and press gently into a flat 9–10 cm disc. Delhi kachoris are wider and flatter than Rajasthani ones.

Step 6: Heat 1 litre vegetable oil over a low heat to about 275°F and fry 3–4 kachoris at a time for 12–15 minutes, turning, until they puff and turn golden and blistered. Drain on a rack.

Step 7: For the sabzi, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and when it darkens a shade, add 1 pinch asafoetida (hing), 1 tbsp fresh ginger and 3 green chillies and stir for 30 seconds.

Step 8: Add 3 tomatoes, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and 2 tsp ground coriander and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until the purée thickens, darkens and oil shines at the edges. Under-cooked tomato tastes raw and sour in the finished curry.

Step 9: Add 1 ⅓ lb potatoes, 2 cups water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer on a medium-low heat for 10 minutes, crushing a few potato pieces against the pan to thicken the gravy. It should be thin enough to soak into a broken kachori.

Step 10: Crumble in 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) between your palms, stir in 1 tsp dried mango powder (amchur) and ½ tsp garam masala and simmer for 2 minutes. Scatter with 3 tbsp fresh coriander.

Step 11: To serve, crack 2 kachoris into each bowl and ladle the hot aloo sabzi over, or serve the sabzi in a bowl for dipping. Eat straight away while the crust still crackles.