Dal Paturi

Dal Paturi

Paturi is a style of traditional Bengali cooking wrapped and steamed/roasted in banana leaf. The delicate flavor that the banana leaves impart into the steaming food is simply matchless. It is prepared with fishes, vegetables, lentils and all other possible combinations. One such is dal paturi. 
It is a paste of bengal gram / yellow split peas (Chana dal /matar dal) and coconut steamed to form a delicate ‘cake’.

My Thami(Granny) used to cook this for us & it was a family favorite food. She used to fold the batter in banana leaf, & then place on the tawa & after that it got slow cooked on the heat of charcoal oven (unun). The taste of Granny’s hand cooked food-the aroma of banana leaf & charcoal all are missing these days.Dal paturi is one of my favorite food.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup -split bengal gram/ chana dal
1 ¼ cup – freshly grated coconut or ½ a fresh coconut
2 tbsp -mustard oil
2-3 nos – green chilies (as per your spice taste)

Fresh coriander leaves- 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt and sugar to taste

FOR ROASTING

Banana leaf

METHOD:

 

Grind the soaked split peas with little water possible (4-5tbsp). The texture of the paste should be a bit rough.

 Mix together chana dal paste, grated coconut, turmeric powder, coriander leaf and green chillies, together. Add salt and sugar to taste. Add 3 tbsp of mustard oil (raw) to the chana dal paste.

Prepare the banana leaf/leaves. Cut the leaf, pass it over the gas flame, this will soften the leaf and help the paste to b wrapped nicely. De-vein the leaf. Do not throw the veins away, you will need it to tie the leaf parcel later.
Arrange for 4 parcels by laying down double layer of the leaf piece. Put a portion of the paste in the centre and wrap it up. Tie the parcels with the veins.

Heat up the griddle (tawa). Place the parcels on it. Lower the heat to minimum, cover and let it cook for 20-25 mins. Flip them over to the other side of the parcel. And let it cook another 20 mins.

Take it off fire. Cut into wide squares & serve hot or room temperature as a starter/side with cooked red lentil( masur dal) and white rice.
One can also steam the parcels.

Author : Manna Majumder
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