Biuli Daler Borar Jhol (Urad Dal Pakoras in Gravy - Bong style)

 

           This is a traditional Bengali recipe where pakoras / fritters are made of soaked & ground urad dal and then made into a gravy. Typically, split urad dal is used. But I made use of urad dal with skin for additional fibre. The pakoras can also be prepared  of chana or masoor dal. This is a great comfort food and comes in handy when you run out of any veggies. 

          Besides eggplants, potatoes, ridge gourd, pointed gourd or bottle gourd can also be added to the gravy. This simple delicacy is usually relished with hot steamed rice. However, it can also be had with chapattis. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dish. 

Pakora-

• 1/4 cup urad dal (black gram lentil with skin)
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• pinch of baking soda
• oil to shallow / deep fry 

Gravy - 

• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 long eggplant, cut into 2" pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 small onion
• 1 tomato
• 1" ginger
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 2 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Soak the lentils for an hour. Wash, rinse and grind, using very little water into a smooth paste. 

          Blend together onion, ginger, garlic and tomato into a smooth paste and set aside.

          In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients listed under pakora (except oil) into a thick batter. 

          For the Pakoras - Heat oil in a pan and drop in small balls into the hot oil. Fry till light golden in color. Drain and keep aside. 

          For the gravy - Heat oil in a pan and sauté the eggplants with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder till they turn slightly brown. Keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and salt to taste. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add 2 cups water and bring it to a boil. Then add in the fried pakoras, fried eggplants and green chilies. 

          Cover and simmer on a low to medium flame for 4-5 minutes. (Let there be enough gravy as eventually the fritters will soak in most of it).

          When done, add the garam masala, ghee and coriander leaves. Give it a stir and serve with steamed rice or any flat Indian bread.

                      Soak the lentils for an hour. 

       Wash, rinse & grind, using very little water into a smooth paste. 

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients listed under pakora (except oil) into a thick batter. 

                   Heat oil & drop in small balls into the hot oil. 

                    Fry till light golden in color. Drain & keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan & sauté the eggplants with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder till they turn slightly brown. Set aside. 

Temper the same oil with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add the onion paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder & salt to taste. Sauté till the oil separates.

                    Add 2 cups water & bring it to a boil. 

Add in the fried pakoras, fried eggplants & green chilies. Cover & simmer on a low to medium flame for 4-5 minutes. (Let there be enough gravy as eventually the fritters will soak in most of it).

When done, add the garam masala, ghee & coriander leaves. Give it a stir.

                       Serve with steamed rice or any flat Indian bread.

Bottle Gourd Leaves & Parsley Leaves Pakora / Fritters

 

           These Pumpkin leaves and parsley leaves can be turned into some amazingly delicious pakoras / fritters. Just pick up some tender bottle gourd leaves and parsley leaves and dish out these yummy pakoras. Relish them as appetizers with some chutney / sauce as an evening tea-time snack or as an accompaniment to dal-rice combo. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these yummy fritters. 

          Tea time without some fried snacks is just meaningless. One can't resist the temptation of deep fried pakoras. A bowl of hot and crispy pakoras is anytime welcome. So dish out these easy to make yummy pakoras / fritters made of bottle gourd leaves and parsley leaves. 

          These crispy treats are just perfect with your evening cuppa. You can also serve them as appetizers with chutney, sauce, labneh, hummus or cheese spread. They are absolutely easy to prepare as it requires only few basic ingredients. I made them both spicy and tangy. However, it can be adjusted accordingly. 

             

           If it happens to be a rainy day or a cold winter night, then the excitement of having these pakoras reaches to another level. These amazing pakoras are also great as an accompaniment to dal chawal or curd rice. 

          Any leftover pakoras can be made into Kadhi Pakora the next day and enjoyed with hot steamed rice / jeera rice for a great comfort meal. You can also dish out pakora chaat for a light dinner.

• 10-12 Pumpkin Leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup besan (gram flour)
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• pinch of baking soda
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• oil to deep fry / shallow fry

            In a bowl, combine together all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil). Add very little water, only if required and prepare a dough. keep aside for 10 minutes.

            Take a small portion of the dough and give a round and slightly flat shape.

           Heat oil in a pan and drop the prepared pakoras, few at a time and fry on a low flame on all sides till light golden in color. 

            Drain on a tissue paper and serve hot with sauce or chutney as an appetizer, as a tea time snack or as a side dish with rice-dal combo.

In a bowl, mix all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil). 

Add very little water, only if required & prepare a dough. keep aside for 10 minutes.

Take a small portion of the dough & give a round and slightly flat shape.

Heat oil in a pan & drop the pakoras, few at a time, & fry on a low 

flame on all sides till light golden in colour. 

                              Drain on a tissue paper.

                        Serve hot with chutney, sauce or with a cup of tea. 

Pui Shak Chingri Bora (Malabar Spinach & Prawn Pakora / Fritters - Bong style)

 

          These are simple Bengali homemade style pakoras made of Pui Shak or Malabar Spinach and prawns. For a veg. version, just omit the prawns. These crispy fritters are a great accompaniment to our normal dal-chawal or khichdi. You can also relish them as a rainy day tea time snack or as an appetizer with kasundi (bottled mustard sauce) or any chutney. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these amazing pakoras.

          Bengalis generally make a curry of these creepers with pumpkin, eggplants, potato, broad beans, etc. Like other greens, Pui Shak too, has a lot of health benefits in the form of vitamin, calcium, protein, iron and fibre. 

           It is cooked with bori (dried lentil dumplings) for the veg. version and prawns / fish head for the non-veg. version. However, pakoras made with them also tastes yummy too. So do give it a try and enjoy them on a rainy day or on a chilled winter night. It is so comforting. 

• 2-3 cups Pui Shak, washed, drained & finely chopped
• 8-10 prawns, deveined, cleaned & rinsed well
• 2-3 green chilies
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt to taste
• 3-4 tbsp. gram flour
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• oil to deep fry

          In a bowl, add a pinch of salt to the chopped pui shak and marinate for 5-10 minutes. Then mash well.

          Pound the prawns, garlic and green chilies coarsely. Add to the Pui Shak and along with the  remaining ingredients (except oil). Sprinkle water accordingly. Cover and keep aside for 5 minutes.

 

          Wet your hands and take a little portion of the batter and form into equal size pakoras and keep them ready to be deep fried.

          Heat oil in a pan / kadai. Gently drop the pakoras in the hot oil. Fry on a low flame on both sides till golden in color.

    

          Drain on a kitchen towel and serve them hot as a tea time snack, as an appetizer with kasundi / green chutney or as a side dish with dal-chawal or khichdi.

                       In a bowl, add a pinch of salt to the chopped pui shak & marinate for

                       5-10 minutes. Then mash well.

                       Pound the prawns, garlic & green chilies coarsely. Add to the Pui Shak 

                       along with the remaining ingredients (except oil). Sprinkle water accordingly. 

                                  Cover and keep aside for 5 minutes.

                      Wet your hands. Take a little portion of the batter & form into equal

                      size pakoras and keep them ready to be deep fried.

                         Heat oil in a pan / kadai. Gently drop the pakoras in the hot oil. Fry 

                         on a low flame on both sides till golden in colour.

  

                                  Drain on a kitchen towel.

                    Serve them hot as a tea time snack, as an appetizer with kasundi / green 

                    chutney or as a side dish with dal-chawal,

Thankuni Pata diye Rui Macher Jhol (Bong style Fish Curry with Centella Leaves)

 

           Macher Jhol Bhaat (Fish Curry & rice) is an integral part of Bengali cuisine. So check out this traditional homemade style Rohu fish curry with a handful of Thankuni Pata / Centella Leaves thrown in. These greens are not much popular. However, they have some medicinal properties that is very healthy for us. 

          The gravy is generally thin and is prepared using minimum of spices. Typically, veggies like, potato, eggplants, raw banana, raw papaya, pointed gourd, etc. are added. So a healthy mix of proteins, vitamins and fibre. It is popular in every Bengali household and is relished with hot steamed rice. 

         

         

         Thankuni Pata can also be found in the North Eastern regions of India and our neighboring countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia to name a few. 

         Traditionally, these greens are used to make pakoras, chutney, stir fries, juice or salads. 

        As I was able to source these greens in one of the supermarkets here, I went ahead and dished out this simple fish curry where I added these leaves. It is perfect for our every day meals or for a comforting weekend lunch with your dear ones. 

• 4-5 pieces of Rohu Fish
• handful of Thankuni leaves
• 1-2 raw bananas, cut lengthwise
• 3 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. ginger paste
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste

          Marinate the fish pieces with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 5-10 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together the ginger paste, roasted cumin powder and turmeric powder with some water and keep aside. 

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a kadai / pan and fry the marinated fish pieces till golden brown. Keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and fry the raw banana pieces slightly. Keep aside. Temper the same oil with nigella seeds and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the ginger paste and fry till the oil separates. Add the greens and sauté till it is withered. 

          Add 2 cups water (or as needed) and salt. Bring it to a boil. Add the fried fish pieces and simmer on a low to medium flame till the raw bananas are cooked well and the gravy reduced to a desired consistency. 

          When done, switch off the flame and drizzle 1 tsp. of mustard oil. Serve with hot steamed rice. 

Thankuni Patar Bora (Centella Leaves Pakora / Fritters - Bong style)

 

          Enjoy these yummy pakoras (fritters) made out of Centella leaves (Thankuni Pata in Bengali). These leaves have some medicinal benefits and are traditionally relished as pakoras, chutney, stir fries, juice or salads. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these yummy fritters.

 

          This particular herb is not much known, but is popular in the North Eastern regions, especially West Bengal and also in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Vietnam & Thailand. 

          I found these greens in one of the supermarkets here and so decided to prepare some pakoras as a tea-time snack. They can be enjoyed as appetizers too, with kasundi or as a side dish with our daily dal-chawal. 

• 8-10 bunches of Thankuni Pata (Centella Leaves)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup gram flour
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. grated ginger
• 1 tsp. grated garlic
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• oil to deep fry

          Wash the leaves under running water and drain. Chop them finely and keep aside. 

          In a bowl take all the ingredients, except oil and mix them well. Add water, little at a time, and knead into a dough. 

          Heat oil in a pan. Shape round flat balls out of the mix and gently slide in the hot oil.

          Fry them in batches on a low flame on both sides till light golden in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel.

          Serve as a tea time snack or as an appetizer with kasundi or any homemade chutney.

                                     Pick only the leaves.

                                  Chop them finely and keep aside. 

                  Mix all the ingredients, except oil. Add water, little at a time, & knead into

                  a dough. 

                     Heat oil in a pan. Shape round flat balls out of the mix and gently slide in

                     the hot oil.

                       Fry them in batches on a low flame on both sides till light golden in colour.

                                  Drain on a kitchen towel.

                             Serve as a tea time snack or as an appetizer with kasundi or any

                             homemade chutney.