Bengali's specialise in making the finest and lightest Bori's. Bori or dried lentil dumplings or little pellets of lentil paste are added in various vegetarian dishes in Bengali cuisine.
In the olden days, every family had a set timing for bori making and Our Banerji family had one too. Bori was not made any time one desired but there is a fixed time and procedure. Borir haath or the starting of Bori making was a process. Kolai or urad dal with skin, was soaked and then the skin rubbed off (A rough piece of cloth was used for doing this) and the daal was grinded in a motar and pestle to a dough like consistency along with grated Chaal kumro (white pumpkin) and Mouri( fennel seed),Hing( asafoetida),Ada( ginger )for the ritual. No spices were added as these two boris were made for the prayer ceremony. Two large size Bori were made by the ladies, Sindoor(Vermillion) was put and Dhaan-Dubbo (new grains) and a prayer was made in the beginning, before the whole process of Bori making started. "Agran maaser sukla pokhe Bori dewa hoto" Ma declared. Agran month of Bengali calender is from 17th november to 16 th december. Sukla pokho means the period between no moon and full moon (Amabsya and Purnima). This was considered the ideal time in our family and ladies of the family prepared Bori together and it was a great occassion. The heat of the sun was just right and ladies in clean clothes after the morning bath started preparing bori . Dried and ready Bori was stored in glass jars for a whole year. Huge amounts meant half a dozen ladies gathered at one place....next ,the ladies shifted to another house and a huge amount was prepared for that household....
Earlier, everyday a number of fried Bhaajas were made daily to go with Daal and Bhaat, as the fear of having excess oil or pure ghee didn't exist. Bori was not only served in vegetarian dishes , a few were simply fried and eaten with daal and rice. In winter months, different Boris and Achaars were made by ladies. Only in the very recent times Bori and Achaar have started coming packed. Achaar making too like Bori had a procedure but will tell you that story some other time....
A Few Dishes we prepare at home:
Borir jhaal Sorshe Bata Diye (Motor Daaler Bori)
Bori diye niramish jhol ( Kolai Daler Bori)
Bori Posto( Motor Daler Bori)
Borir Tok ( Small Musur Dal Bori)
Bori Diye Lau er Ghonto (Kolai Daler Bori)
Bori Diye Paalong Saag Bhaaja (kolai Daler Bori)
Bori Diye Paanch Meshali Torkari (Motor or Kolai Daler Bori)
Bori Diye Sukto ( Kolai Daaler Bori)
Bori Diye Maacher Jhol ( Masala Bori with hing )
Bori Bhaaja (Goyna Bori , Musur Daal Bori)
Bori Diye maacher jhol
Bori Diye Peper Dalna
The Musur Dal Bori & Noksha Bori are fried and eaten with Dal-Bhaat (Rice & Lentils). Noksha Bori was prepared in the earlier days for the "Jamai" of the house.It was ornamental and light ,prepared from "Kolai/Biuli" dal.
Bori Diye Maacher Jhol :
Bori diye lauer Ghonto or bottle gourd with fried lentil dumplings.....
Kolai Daler Bori........................................a handful
Lau(Bottle Gourd)....................................1 medium size
Whole cumin seeds...................................1/4 tsp
Green Chilly,slit.........................................4
Bay Leaf......................................................2
Fresh Coriander........................................1/4 cup,chopped
Salt& Sugar.................................................as per taste
Desi Ghee................................................... 1 tbsp(Optional)
Refined sunflower Oil...............................2-4 tbsp
Cumin Powder...........................................1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder......................................a pinch (optional)
Preparation :
Chop the bottle gourd really fine. The finer you chop the bottle gourd the faster it will cook. The " ghonto " preparation requires you to chop the bottle gourd so fine that the preparation is a mish-mash. Lau cutting shows how good a home maker you are, ma says.
"Lau takia thakle cholbe naa," she says. So if you are in a hurry please don't prepare bottle gourd. But then we all are always in a hurry aren't we ....I have found an easy way out, I pressure cook the gourd so that it becomes really soft and then I mash some of it .
Now after you have pressure cooked the bottle gourd, heat oil in a pan and fry the Bori on a low flame and when they turn remove and set aside. If you don't fry the bori in the beginning, then you wont get the distinct smell of bori in your dish. Each Bori has a different smell, cause each Bori is made of a different lentil and has different spices in it.
In the same oil, add the bay leaves, whole cumin seeds and also slit green chilly and stir fry the tempering a bit. Next add the soft bottle gourd and then add salt and sugar to taste. If you haven't pressure cooked the gourd, then it will release a lot of water.
Add the gourd, cumin powder, turmeric powder(optional), salt and sugar. Put a lid and let the gourd cook in its own juices till it softens and the water dries up fully.
While it is still cooking, add the Bori so that they become really soft. In the very end add finely chopped fresh coriander and mix .
Serve.
A Few Dishes we prepare at home:
Borir jhaal Sorshe Bata Diye (Motor Daaler Bori)
Bori diye niramish jhol ( Kolai Daler Bori)
Bori Posto( Motor Daler Bori)
Borir Tok ( Small Musur Dal Bori)
Bori Diye Lau er Ghonto (Kolai Daler Bori)
Bori Diye Paalong Saag Bhaaja (kolai Daler Bori)
Bori Diye Paanch Meshali Torkari (Motor or Kolai Daler Bori)
Bori Diye Sukto ( Kolai Daaler Bori)
Bori Diye Maacher Jhol ( Masala Bori with hing )
Bori Bhaaja (Goyna Bori , Musur Daal Bori)
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| Bori Diye PeperDalna |
Bori Diye Peper Dalna
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| Bori Diye Palong Saak Bhaja |
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| Bori Diye paanch Meshali Tarkari |
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| Noksha Bori |
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| Musur Dal Er Bori |
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| Bori (Lentil Dumplings) |
The Musur Dal Bori & Noksha Bori are fried and eaten with Dal-Bhaat (Rice & Lentils). Noksha Bori was prepared in the earlier days for the "Jamai" of the house.It was ornamental and light ,prepared from "Kolai/Biuli" dal.
Bori Diye Maacher Jhol :
Daaler Bori (Hinger Bori)...............................10 pieces
Maach( Rui/ Kaatla/aar)...............................10 pieces
Kalo Jeere(Nigella Seeds)...............................1 pinch
Brinjal (Begun)..................................................1,medium
Aloo (Potato).....................................................2,medium
Green Chilly Paste.............................................1-2 tsp
Turmeric Powder.............................................1 1/2 tsp
Mustard Oil.......................................................4-6 tbsp
Green Chilly.......................................................4, slit
Salt.......................................................................as per taste
Salt.......................................................................as per taste
Preparation:
Heat the mustard oil in a deep pan and fry the fish pieces. Keep then aside.
In the same oil , add the bori, fry till golden and remove.
Now add the kalo Jeere , 2 tsp chilly paste,turmeric paste and salt stir fry all well.
Next add the vegetables, potato&brinjal cut into pieces lengthwise and fry along with the spices till reddish. Add a few table spoons of hot water, cover and cook till the vegetables soften. Then remove cover and add the fish pieces ,slit green chillies and the bori. Also add enough hot water to the pan to make a gravy and allow all to come to a boil. Tastes best with plain steamed rice.
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| Bori Diye Lau |
Bori diye lauer Ghonto or bottle gourd with fried lentil dumplings.....
Kolai Daler Bori........................................a handful
Lau(Bottle Gourd)....................................1 medium size
Whole cumin seeds...................................1/4 tsp
Green Chilly,slit.........................................4
Bay Leaf......................................................2
Fresh Coriander........................................1/4 cup,chopped
Salt& Sugar.................................................as per taste
Desi Ghee................................................... 1 tbsp(Optional)
Refined sunflower Oil...............................2-4 tbsp
Cumin Powder...........................................1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder......................................a pinch (optional)
Preparation :
Chop the bottle gourd really fine. The finer you chop the bottle gourd the faster it will cook. The " ghonto " preparation requires you to chop the bottle gourd so fine that the preparation is a mish-mash. Lau cutting shows how good a home maker you are, ma says.
"Lau takia thakle cholbe naa," she says. So if you are in a hurry please don't prepare bottle gourd. But then we all are always in a hurry aren't we ....I have found an easy way out, I pressure cook the gourd so that it becomes really soft and then I mash some of it .
Now after you have pressure cooked the bottle gourd, heat oil in a pan and fry the Bori on a low flame and when they turn remove and set aside. If you don't fry the bori in the beginning, then you wont get the distinct smell of bori in your dish. Each Bori has a different smell, cause each Bori is made of a different lentil and has different spices in it.
In the same oil, add the bay leaves, whole cumin seeds and also slit green chilly and stir fry the tempering a bit. Next add the soft bottle gourd and then add salt and sugar to taste. If you haven't pressure cooked the gourd, then it will release a lot of water.
Add the gourd, cumin powder, turmeric powder(optional), salt and sugar. Put a lid and let the gourd cook in its own juices till it softens and the water dries up fully.
While it is still cooking, add the Bori so that they become really soft. In the very end add finely chopped fresh coriander and mix .
Serve.
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| A Lavish Bengali Lunch (Notice the Noksha Bori Bhaja With other Bhajas) |
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