What do you do when the craving for a piping hot daal bhajias hits you two hours before dinnertime and you haven’t soaked your mug-chora ni dal overnight to make the East African dal bhajiya? You make these simple, fuss free Bengali Daler Bora.
 

A cross between the East African Bhajiya and the Mauritian Gateaux Pimet, they are a quick snack that you can put together in under 2 hours.   

My kids’ babysitter (Amu) used to make these during Ramadan, and as I picked them up in the evenings, she would hand me a plate of these and some mung intricately designed Pitha for iftar.

My kids loved them! She used to make them with sliced onions, but as the kids would pick the fritter apart to remove the onions, I used very finely chopped onions. 

Oh and they must be eaten hot and freshly made preferably with a steaming cup of chai.

Ingredients

• 2 cup Red Masoor dal split/no skin (red lentil) (makes plenty! So use 1 cup of lentil if making for the first time)
• 1 onion, very finely chopped
• 3 green chili, very finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• ½ tsp. cumin seeds (optional)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp. rice flour (for extra crunch- optional)
• 1.5 tsp. salt, or to taste
• 3 cups Neutral oil to fry
  

Method:

1. Soak masoor dal/lentils for 2-3 hours, the longer the better.
   
2. Rinse, drain, discard the water, and blend lentils to a paste with the rice flour and about 2 tbsp. of water if needed.
   
3. The paste should be thick so don’t add too much water.
   
4. In a bowl and add onion, chopped green chilies, cilantro,  turmeric, cumin seeds and salt. Mix and let it macerate for about 10 minutes.
   
5. Add the lentils paste and mix.
   
6. Heat oil in a small heavy bottom pan or wok/karai on medium-high heat; place enough oil in the pan so that the daler bora can float.
   
7. As with the dar na bhajiya, I give the batter a good whip with a wooden spoon or spatula before every batch I fry to incorporate air so that they are light and airy.
   
8. With a soup spoon or a 1 teaspoon cookie scoop as a guide, scoop up the lentil mix and drop the batter into the oil.
   
9. Fry until golden brown, turning in between to ensure even frying.
   
10. Drain on paper towels and continue frying the rest.
    
11. Serve with Green Chutney, Tamarind Chutney and ketchup.

Watch this quick and easy tutorial!