Dear Mamta and friends,

I have a small party tomorrow (Saturday) for my son and wife's birthday (abt 25 people)and I am cooking. For the first time I did a test run on kachauri, though the taste was fantabulous but the kachauri soaked too much oil an broke from places and oil seeped in, and it looked nothing like your pictures. Did I roll it out it too thin???? Please advice. Though the chana dal batter is already made I am thinking of using it in making chapattis or maybe paratha.

Rest of the menu is - chicken curry, mughlai matter paneer, pindi choley with bhaturey, pilau rice, imli chutney, boondi raita in yogurt, alu achar (potato pickle with ground sesame seeds)...... while starters would be from the shops.....samosas, papadoms, dhoklas.. etc.

Helo Rajneesh

Vow, what a menu! There can be a few reasons for them burstin;

1. The pastry was too thin, couldn't hold the stuffing in. I usually press the dough balla around with fingers of both hands, kind of going in circular fashion, until I get the cottect size.

2. Too much moin/mone (the oil added to flour).

3. The opening is not sealed properly.

They absorb oil, if the oil is not hot enough.

What is the chana dal batter for? Yes, you can make roties or chapatties or parathas with it; you can make a dough by adding chapatti flour. If you have some dry methi leaves, add some of those, as well as some turmeric. That will make some nice missi methi rotie. I made some today for my party tomorrow, taste good. They will be reheated in my Hostess trolley, wrapped in double layer of foil, so they don?t get hard. I have put a thin layer of ghee on each, because they can be a bit dry.

I hadn?t visited this recipe for a while, have made a few minor adjustments to it. The pictures are some halwaiis making it, not me, but the recipe is same, I double checked with them when I took the pictures.

Have a great party.

Hi Mamta,

Chana dal batter - i meant the filling mixture for kachauri, the oil was hot enough i think i rolled it too thin that it broke. H. Trolley seems to be a good idea for big parties and it saves lot of hassles, is it electric?.

Hostess trolley; I have had mine for over 25 years, the same one. They are worth every penny. Some of my friends have also got them over the years, seeing that I don't have to faff about heating food at the last minute. All of it is dished out in serving bowl and all major washing up done in advance, so I can sit and relax with everyone else.

If you get one, get the full size one. Half ones don't really have enough space. If you order from Amazon by chance, remember that if you use the link on this website, it helps us a little bit towards our running costs.

All my cooking is done for tomorrow, except the rice, raita and salads; salad platter, fruit salad and kachumbhar. Table is all laid out, rooms re-arranged to seat everyone in comfort. I just hopes it doesn't rain tomorrow!