Dal paturi/ Lentil cake baked in banana leaf packets

Paturi is a style of traditional Bengali cooking wrapped and steamed/roasted in banana leaf.

We, Bengalis, are somewhat unique in our food habits wherein the majority eat fish, meat and eggs. The Bengali cuisine has evolved over time and age, where it has been influenced by the various rulers – from Turks to Europeans.

In our cuisine their is predominance of  lentils, vegetables, fish and meat served with rice. Food is usually served course -wise.

Inspite of all my culinary experimentations, i am a Bangal born and bred 😉 and Bangals are known for their of food 🙂

Bangals are expatriates from present Bangladesh, who had migrated to India during the partition in 1947. Bangladesh was once a part of this great sub -continent, was declared independent nation in 1971. Bengalis who had been this side of the border from the beginning are called ‘Ghoti’.

I do not claim a Bangal right over ‘paturi’ of any type, it’s a traditional cuisine is all i say and cooked and enjoyed in Bengali household, irrespective of which side of the border they belong from. 🙂

Dal paturi is a simple, healthy and humble food from our cuisine.

The preparation may seen long – drawn, but end result is lip smacking.

Here’s how it’s made……..

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)
Salt and sugar to taste
FOR ROASTING
Banana leaf
METHOD
Soak the chana dal overnight. Grind the dal, coconut and green chillies, together. Add salt and sugar to taste. Add 2 tbsp of mustard oil to the chana dal paste.

paste of soaked grams, coconut and green chilies

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.

softened and de-veined banana leaf

Heat up the griddle (tawa). Place the parcels on it. Lower the heat to minimum, cover and let it cook for 20-25 mins.

tied parcels on the iron griddle

Flip them over to the other side of the parcel. And let it cook another 20 mins.

Take it off fire. Cool . Unwrap.

unwrapped baked paturi

Its ready to eat with cooked pink lentil( masur dal) and flaky white rice.

Tip : Originally paturi recipe is with matar dal, but over the years we probashi Bengalis have started using chana dal due to lack of matar dal availability.
Also you can use fresh coriander in the paste.
One can also steam the parcels.

Happy cooking !!! 😀

Cheers !!! 🙂