Rosh Bora

I got married pretty young (by modern day standards). The husband and I moved to the USA within a year of getting married. And from then on we went wherever life took us. We were rootless, footloose and fancy-free. It was a life we enjoyed to the fullest till we decided that it was time to put down our roots. So after 4 years of vagabond-ish life, we returned to Kolkata to settle down for good. But after yet another bank job (my 3rd one) and one baby later, we found ourselves back in the USA within 2.5 years of going back. And we are still here. We do not know where life will take us next. 

I miss Kolkata. I miss my family. I miss my friends. 

Recreating the dishes that I have grown up eating  is one way of holding onto the warm fuzzy feeling that only my hometown, my loved ones can engulf me in! 

I still struggle with quantities. Most of the time I am cook way more than required. Especially when I have guests over. But I am getting better, I think. My Baba has always been my go to guide when it comes to measurements (not baking, of course). If I am cooking for company, he will tell me exactly how much ingredients I need. Even though we speak different languages when it comes to measurements - he goes by grams and I prefer Cups/tbsp/tsp - his estimates are always close to accurate. He does not cook, but he is surprisingly good with ingredients as well. I based this recipe on the rough estimates that he gave me.

Ingredients For the Bora/Vada/Dumpling:

• Kolai/Biuli Daal - 1/2 Cup
• Fennel Seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
• Black Cardamom Seeds - 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Water - Enough to soak the daal plus some to make a thick paste.
• Oil/Ghee - Enough for frying

Ingredients for Sugar Syrup:

• Sugar - 1/2 Cup
• Water - 1 Cup
• Green Cardamom - 2 split
• Green Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp

Soak the Kolai/Biuli Daal in enough water overnight. Make a paste in the grinder. Use just a little water to make a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in the fennel seeds and black cardamom seed. Now add enough water to make thick paste. Drop dollops of the batter into the hot oil using two spoons. Reduce the flame/heat to medium low. The dumplings should be fried on medium low heat so the they cook inside out till they turn a lovely golden brown. Flip once in between. Drain excess oil on a paper towel and transfer to the bowl of sugar syrup. Let the dumplings soak in the syrup. Serve warm.