It is said that human civilization has been cultivating lentils from the very conception of civilization itself. Thus, it should not surprise us to encounter lentil in one form or the other across the world, popping out in different form or in different states, waiting its turn to mesmerise us and connect us with our own self.
Being consumed as staple food in most part of the country, India also shares a special bond with lentils. For any auspicious or religious occasion in any part of the country is incomplete without this earliest form of food grain. The story of dal even goes back to Mahabharata, when Pandava prince Bhima cooked dal for King Virat by slow-cooking the five dals in an earthen pot and topping it with loads of ghee (clarified butter). No Indian kitchen is complete without dal. It is the versatility of dal or pulses that makes it an equally important ingredient for regular lentil soup, or the delicious sweets catching our fascination, or the ever-favourite crispy pakoras (fritters). Although considered as poor man’s protein, but it was the charisma of dal that took it to royal kitchens of Mughals, and also to famous fables like ‘Birbal ki Khichdi’.
Looks like we homo sapiens have been living with dals since ages. Therefore, it obvious that with so many years of association we have learnt the nitty gritty and the pulse of these pulses to create and re-create dishes as per our own fancies. This was probably how ‘Mushur Daler Bora or Red Lentil Fritters’ were created in the kitchens of Bengal. This quintessential Boras or Fritters from Bengal is usually taken as an accompaniment along with Dal Bhat (rice and lentil soup combination), but is equally palatable for evening snacks or a party starter dish.
So, whether it is the emergence of sudden guests from nowhere, or the tussle between your exhausting body and ever demanding taste buds, these Mushur Daler Bora or Red Lentil Fritters is the answer to your woes. And most importantly, these boras are also the solution when these monkeys in the form of our offspring resist eating the regular Dal Chawal.
Here is the step-by-step recipe for Mushur Daler Bora or Red Lentil Fritters
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Recipe: Mushur Daler Bora Or Red Lentil Fritters
Preparation Time: Around 27 minutes Frying Time: Around 55 minutes Equipment Used: Bowls, grinder, spoon, pan or wok, deep frying strainer Yield: Around 12 – 15 fritters
Ingredients:
- 1 cup red lentil
- Around 20 stalks of coriander leaves (optional)
- 2 medium sized onion
- 2 green chillies
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5-6 table spoon mustard oil
Method:
- Wash the red lentils and keep them soaked in water
- Take out the tender stem from the coriander stalks. Keep the coriander stems soaked in water
- Chop the onions and green chillies
- Grind the soaked lentil to a smooth paste
- Transfer the red lentil paste to a bowl
- Add the chopped onions and chopped green chillies to the lentil paste
- Chop the coriander leaves and add the chopped leaves to the above ingredients
- Add salt into the bowl and mix the ingredients properly
- Heat a pan or wok
- Add 5 – 6 tablespoons oil into the pan, once the pan is hot
- As the oil turns hot and smoke comes out, little by little drop the portions of batter of around 4 cm into the pan with the help of a spoon and fry them on medium flame in batches
- Remove the fritters from the pan when they turn golden brown from both sides
Wash and keep the red lentils soaked in water.
Take out coriander stem from stalks.
Keep the coriander stems soaked in water.
Chop onions.
Chop green chillies.
Grind the soaked lentil to a smooth paste.
Transfer the red lentil paste to a bowl.
Add the chopped onions and chopped green chillies.
Chop coriander leaves into the bowl.
Add salt and mix the ingredients properly.
Heat oil in a pan.
Little by little drop the portions of batter into the pan and fry them on medium flame in batches.
Remove the fritters from the pan when they turn golden brown.
Tips:
- Keeping the coriander leaves soaked in water will help in getting rid of the sand particles stuck to the leaves
- While grinding, add water little by little to arrive at a smooth paste. Don’t add too much water, as the paste should not turn runny
- Don’t fry the fritters on low flame, else they will get stuck to the pan
- After adding the portions of batter into the pan, flip the batter once the bottom part or the base solidifies
- So that you don’t experience burnt Mushur Daler Bora, flip the fritters time to time and adjust the flame while frying them
- Don’t fry the fritters on less oil. If the oil reduces, add 2-3 tablespoons more oil at a time. In case there is excess oil, store them in a separate container and use the oil later
- Don’t fry more than 3-4 fritters at a time. Frying less at a time requires less oil
