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    Thorer Bora
    Beginner
    For 4 people

    Crispy Thorer Bora: Tantalising Bengali Banana Stem Fritters


    Thorer Bora are lip-smacking fritters made from grated banana stem (thor), mixed with a batter of spiced masoor dal paste, besan, and rice flour. Deep-fried until crisp, these light and flavourful fritters make a wholesome snack or a side dish with your typical Bengali meal. With minimal prep and simple ingredients, this recipe is an easy way to enjoy the goodness of banana stem.

    Ingredients

    • Masoor dal (red lentils)

      1 cup

    • Banana stem (thor) (grated)

      2 cups

    • Besan (gram flour)

      2 heaped tbsp

    • Rice flour

      2 heaped tbsp

    • Sunrise Haldi Powder

      1 tsp + a pinch

    • Sunrise Lal Mirch Powder

      1 tsp

    • Sunrise Jeera Powder

      1 tsp

    • Sunrise Kala Jeera

      1/2 tsp

    • Green chillies (finely chopped)

      2-3

    • Salt

      To taste

    • Refined oil

      For deep frying

    Sunrise tip: Gently squeeze out the excess water from the boiled banana stem before adding the other ingredients to prevent the fritters from turning soggy.

     

    Steps

    Step 1: Prepare the masoor dal paste

    Time: 15 minutes

    Wash the masoor dal thoroughly until the water runs clear. Soak it in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Drain the water, then blend the soaked dal into a thick paste, adding water in small quantities as needed. Set aside.

     

    Step 2: Prep and boil the banana stem

    Time: 10 minutes

    Grate the banana stem into thin strips. In a pan, bring water to a boil and add the grated banana stem along with a pinch of haldi powder. Cook until the stems turn soft. Drain well and let it cool.

     

    Step 3: Make the fritter batter

    Time: 10 minutes

    In a bowl, combine the cooled down boiled banana stem, masoor dal paste, besan, rice flour, 1 tsp Sunrise Haldi Powder, Sunrise Lal Mirch Powder, Sunrise Jeera Powder, Sunrise Kala Jeera, chopped green chillies, and salt. Mix well, gradually adding water to get a thick batter.

     

    Step 4: Fry the fritters

    Time: 20 minutes

    Heat refined oil in a kadai or deep pan. Once hot, drop spoonfuls of the batter and flatten them slightly. Fry on medium heat, turning once, until both sides turn crisp and golden brown. Drain on a paper towel.

     

    Step 5: Serve hot

    Serve the hot Thorer Bora as a tea-time snack or a side dish with your Bengali meal of rice, dal and sabzi.

     

    Goes Best With 

    • Main Dish: Bengali Masoor Dal, Aloo Posto

    • Side Dish: Begun Bhaja (Fried Eggplant Slices)