This mawa kachori recipe makes a crisp, flaky Rajasthani sweet filled with roasted mawa and nuts. It is finished with warm saffron syrup and makes 10 kachoris from 200 g mawa.
It is for anyone who wants a festival sweet at home.
(step-by-step-recipe-video-below)
What is Mawa Kachori?
Mawa kachori is a deep-fried Rajasthani sweet. A soft dough shell is filled with roasted mawa, nuts and spices, then fried and finished with sugar syrup.
Mawa is also called khoa or khoya. It is milk that is cooked slowly until the water dries up and only thick, soft milk solids are left.
Mawa kachori is said to have started in Jodhpur. Wikipedia’s page on kachori lists it as a variant from that city.
It is loved across Rajasthan and is often made around Holi and Diwali.
Most people know kachori as a savoury snack with a spicy filling. This one is a mithai, so the filling is sweet and the syrup turns it into a dessert.
You Might want to check Homemade Mawa or Khoya Recipe Here.
Regional Variations of Rajasthani Mawa Kachori
I could not find clear proof that one city makes mawa kachori in a very different way from another. What I did find is that cooks and homes make it in a few different ways.
Poured syrup or dipped syrup Some cooks dip the fried kachori in warm syrup for 30 seconds or more. Others make a small hole in the top.
They pour the syrup inside and over the outside, like filling a golgappa.
Plain cardamom or a fuller spice mix Most recipes I read use cardamom alone. Some add cinnamon.
Others use big cardamom, pepper, mace and nutmeg, the spices you know from biryani.
Bought mawa or instant mawa Fresh mawa from a sweet shop gives the best flavour. If you cannot find it, some cooks make instant mawa from milk powder.
Ghee or oil for frying Some cooks fry in ghee for flavour, and some use oil. Both work.
Extra touches Some recipes finish the kachoris with dried rose petals, saffron or silver varq. These are for looks, and they do not change the taste much.
The information shared here is based on my own research across food blogs, recipe sites, and publicly available sources. If you are from any of these regions and something reads differently from what you know, I would love to hear from you in the comments.
Preparation Tips for Flaky Mawa Ki Kachori
A good mawa ki kachori is decided before it reaches the oil. These are the things to get right first.
Rub the ghee into the flour until a fistful holds together like a small laddu. This step is called moyan, and it is what makes the shell flaky.
Keep the dough very soft. A tight dough gives a hard kachori, not a crisp one.
Cover the dough with an upturned vessel, not a cloth. Let it rest while you make the filling.
Let the roasted mawa cool completely before you touch it. Warm mawa is soft and sticky, and it will not crumble into fine grains.
Add only a little powdered sugar to the filling. The syrup will add plenty of sweetness later.
Seal every kachori fully, and press out any trapped air. If the seam is weak, it opens in the oil and the filling comes out.
If your kachoris open while frying, look at two things first. Either the seal was thin, or the oil was too hot and the steam pushed the filling out.
Why This Mawa Kachori Recipe Works
The shell is crisp because of the moyan. Ghee rubbed into the flour keeps the crust flaky instead of chewy.
The filling stays light because the mawa is roasted first and crushed into grains. It does not turn into a heavy paste inside the shell.
The spice mix makes the sweetness deeper. A small amount of pepper, nutmeg and cardamom adds warmth without making it taste like a savoury dish.
Medium heat cooks the shell all the way through. High heat browns the outside fast and leaves the inside raw.
The syrup goes on at the end. That keeps the shell crisp until the moment you eat it.
The Kachori My Friend from Rajasthan Taught Me
A friend from Rajasthan taught me this recipe. While she was telling me the steps, one thing caught my attention.
Some of the spices were the same ones we use for biryani. I could not imagine how they would taste in a sweet.
My first thought was to leave them out. Then I thought, why not try it once.
If you feel the same way, I understand. The result was so good, but the amounts have to be right, because too much takes over the sweetness.
The second surprise was the chasni. It is poured inside the kachori, and it fills up like a golgappa.
It tasted good when it was hot, and it tasted good the next day too.
What to Serve With Mawa Kachori
Mawa kachori is rich, so a small one is often enough. Here are a few ways to serve it.
- On its own, as a festival sweet after the meal
- With a cup of hot masala chai
- With a spoon of rabri on the side, if you like it extra rich
- On a mithai plate with other festival sweets, such as ladoo and anarsa
Add the syrup just before serving, and serve it warm.
How to Store Leftover Mawa Kachori
Fried kachoris without syrup keep for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Keep them away from damp places.
Keep the syrup in a separate container. Warm it and pour it over the kachoris only when you want to eat them.
The prepared mawa filling keeps in the fridge for up to 10 days in a covered box. You can also freeze it for up to a month and thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Kachoris that already have syrup on them taste good the next day too. The shell will be softer, though, not as crisp.
Pro Tips for the Perfect Mawa Kachori Recipe
These tips are for the frying and finishing steps, where most kachoris go wrong.
- Test the oil with a pinch of dough. It should give slow, small bubbles.
- Keep the flame on medium. If the oil is too hot, the shell browns before the inside cooks.
- Do not stir the kachoris directly with a spoon. Hold the edge, turn the kachori gently, and spoon hot oil over the top.
- Fry 3 or 4 kachoris at a time, so the oil does not cool down too much.
- Turn off the heat between batches and let the oil cool a little. Do not put fresh kachoris into very hot oil.
- Keep the amount of spice small. About half a teaspoon of the mix is enough for 200 g of mawa.
- Coarsely crush the spices. A fine powder can taste strong and even bitter in a sweet filling.
- Chop the nuts finely. Big pieces can poke through the thin edge of the dough.
- Shape the dough bowl thinner at the edges and slightly thicker at the base. That gives you a neat seal and a full centre.
- Fry one kachori first. Check the seal and the taste before you fry the rest.
If your kachori turns out soggy, the oil was probably too cool. It soaks up oil instead of crisping.
Looking for Some More Recipes Like This
If you enjoyed this mawa kachori recipe, here are a few more sweets and festive snacks from the blog.
Mawa Anarsa Goli (Bihari Anarsa Recipe)
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Basic Ingredients Used to Make Rajasthani Mawa Kachori
Here is what goes into this kachori and why each one matters.
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Plain flour (maida) Maida makes the soft, smooth dough for the shell. It gives a lighter crust than whole wheat flour.
Ghee Ghee goes into the dough as moyan, and a little goes into the pan for roasting the mawa. It is what makes the shell flaky and gives it a good smell.
Mawa (khoya) Mawa is the heart of the filling. Use pale, fresh mawa that crumbles, and roast it on medium heat so it does not brown too much.
Powdered sugar Only a little goes into the filling. Add it after the mawa cools, so it does not melt and make the filling wet.
Cashews, almonds and pistachios The nuts add crunch and richness to the soft filling. Fine pieces do not tear the dough.
I use the AGARO Elite Rechargeable Mini Electric Chopper to chop them. It helps me a lot.
Green cardamom Green cardamom is the main flavour in the spice mix. Use only the seeds and crush them lightly.
Big cardamom (badi elaichi) Big cardamom is a large, dark brown pod with a smoky smell. Use the seeds of half a pod, since it is strong.
Black pepper, cinnamon, mace and nutmeg These are the warm spices that you may know from biryani. Use them in tiny amounts, and crush them coarsely.
Sugar and saffron The syrup uses 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water, so both are the same amount. Saffron gives it colour and a lovely smell, and you boil it for 5 to 7 minutes until it turns sticky.
Oil or ghee for frying Either one works for frying. Use enough for the kachoris to float, and keep the heat on medium.
How to Make Mawa Kachori Recipe Step by Step
This recipe makes 10 medium kachoris. You can download the recipe card for the full list of ingredients in both grams and cups.
Making the Dough
Mix 300 g flour, a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons ghee. Rub it between your hands until a fistful holds together like a laddu.
Add 120 to 140 ml water a little at a time. Knead into a very soft dough.
Cover it with an upturned vessel, and let it rest while you make the filling.
Making the Spice Mix
Crush 2 to 3 peppercorns, a 1 cm piece of cinnamon and a small pinch of mace. Add the seeds of 3 to 4 green cardamom pods.
Add the seeds of half a big cardamom, and crush lightly. Mix in a small pinch of nutmeg, and keep the mix coarse.
Cooking the Mawa Filling
Heat 1½ teaspoons ghee on medium heat and add 200 g mawa. Stir all the time, until it shrinks and starts to stick to the pan.
Turn off the heat. Stir in the chopped nuts and ½ teaspoon of the spice mix, then let it cool completely.
Once cool, crush it with your hands into fine grains. Mix in 1 to 1½ teaspoons of powdered sugar, and divide the filling into 10 portions.
Making the Sugar Syrup
Boil 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water with a few strands of saffron. Add 2 to 3 lightly split cardamom pods if you like.
Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the syrup is sticky. It does not need a thread consistency.
Filling and Shaping the Kachoris
Knead the rested dough once more and divide it into 10 medium balls. You do not need to roll them.
Press your thumb into the centre of a ball and turn it, pressing with your fingers, until it becomes a small bowl. Keep the sides thin and the base a little thicker.
Put a portion of filling in the bowl. Bring the edges up over the filling, pressing with your thumb, and seal fully.
Frying the Kachoris
Heat oil on medium heat and test it with a pinch of dough. Slide in 3 or 4 kachoris.
Turn each one gently by the edge and spoon hot oil over the top. Fry until puffed and crisp.
Turn off the heat and let the oil cool a little before the next batch. Then bring it back to medium.
Adding the Syrup and Serving
Make a small hole in the centre of each kachori. Pour the warm syrup inside and over the outside.
Top with chopped nuts, and serve.
Mawa Kachori Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 300 g plain flour maida, about 2 1/2 cups
- 2 tablespoons ghee about 30 g
- A pinch of salt
- 120 to 140 ml water about 1/2 cup plus 1 to 2 tablespoons, added a little at a time
For the Mawa Filling:
- 200 g mawa khoya, about 1 cup crumbled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ghee about 7 g
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cashews almonds and pistachios, about 25 to 30 g
- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered sugar about 4 to 6 g
- 1/2 teaspoon spice mix below
For the Spice Mix:
- 3 to 4 green cardamom pods seeds only
- Seeds of 1/2 big cardamom pod badi elaichi
- 2 to 3 black peppercorns
- A 1 cm piece of cinnamon
- A small pinch of mace
- A small pinch of nutmeg
For the Sugar Syrup:
- 1 cup sugar about 200 g
- 1 cup water 240 ml
- A few saffron strands
- 2 to 3 cardamom pods lightly split (optional)
For Frying:
- Oil or ghee about 2 to 3 cups (500 to 700 ml) in a deep kadhai
Instructions
- Mix the flour, salt and 2 tablespoons ghee. Rub it between your hands until a fistful holds together like a laddu.
- Add the water a little at a time and knead into a very soft dough. Cover with an upturned vessel, not a cloth, and let it rest while you make the filling.
- Crush the peppercorns, cinnamon and mace. Add the green and black cardamom seeds and crush lightly. Mix in the nutmeg and keep the mix coarse.
- Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons ghee on medium heat and add the mawa. Stir all the time until it shrinks and starts to stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the chopped nuts and 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mix. Let it cool completely.
- Crush the cooled mawa with your hands into fine grains. Mix in the powdered sugar and divide into 10 portions.
- Boil the sugar and water with the saffron (and cardamom, if using) for 5 to 7 minutes, until sticky. No thread consistency is needed. Keep it warm.
- Knead the rested dough once more and divide into 10 medium balls. Shape the dough bowl thinner at the edges and slightly thicker at the base.
- Put a portion of filling in the middle. Fold the edges inward, pressing with your thumb, and seal completely.
- Heat the oil on medium heat. Test with a pinch of dough, which should give slow, small bubbles.
- Slide in 3 or 4 kachoris. Do not stir them with a spoon. Turn each gently by the edge and spoon hot oil over the top. Fry until puffed and crisp.
- Turn off the heat and let the oil cool a little before the next batch. Bring it back to medium and fry the rest.
- Make a small hole in the centre of each kachori. Pour the warm syrup inside and over the outside. Top with chopped nuts and serve.
Notes
Frquently Asked Questions About Mawa Kachori Recipe
Here are quick answers to the questions cooks ask most about mawa kachori.
What ingredients are in mawa ki kachori?
Mawa ki kachori is made with plain flour, ghee, mawa, powdered sugar, chopped nuts, cardamom and sugar syrup. Some cooks also add saffron, cinnamon, pepper or nutmeg for extra flavour.
What is mawa made of?
Mawa, or khoya, is made from milk that is cooked slowly until most of the water dries up. What is left is a thick, soft, slightly grainy milk solid used in many Indian sweets.
Where did mawa kachori originate?
Mawa kachori is said to have started in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. It is now made across the state and in many other cities.
Is Jodhpur mawa kachori different from other mawa kachori?
I could not find a clear difference in the basic recipe. The main differences are in small things, such as the spices and how the syrup is added.
Can I make mawa kachori without khoya?
Yes, you can make instant mawa at home from full-fat milk powder, ghee and a little milk. Cook it until crumbly, and cool it fully before use.
Can I use biryani spices in a sweet like mawa kachori?
Yes, if you keep the amount small. A little adds warmth, but too much takes over the sweetness.
Should I pour the syrup or dip the kachori in it?
Both work. Pouring lets you control how much syrup goes in, and dipping coats the whole kachori.
How long does mawa kachori last?
Fried kachoris without syrup keep for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Add the syrup only when you are ready to serve.
Why did my kachoris open while frying?
Usually the seam was not sealed well, or the oil was too hot. Press the edges firmly, remove any trapped air, and fry on medium heat.
Why did my mawa kachori turn soggy?
The oil was probably too cool, so the shell soaked up oil. Test the oil with a pinch of dough, and add the syrup only at serving time.
Can I make the filling ahead?
Yes, the cooked and cooled filling keeps in the fridge for up to 10 days. You can also freeze it for up to a month.
My Rcommended Product:
Here is the kadhai I use for frying these kachoris.
I fry my mawa kachori in the Indus Valley Super Smooth Cast Iron Kadai, the medium 10 inch one. It is heavy and holds heat well, so the oil stays steady once it reaches medium.
It also stays hot after you turn off the gas. That is why I let the oil cool a little between batches.
If you fry Indian sweets and snacks often, it is worth investing in a good one. It pays for itself in fewer failed batches over time.
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