Crispy and Crunchy with very minimal spices, Dhone Pata Bora are fresh cilantro levaes fritters. It is a classic Bengali side dish that be served as an appetizer too. If you happen to dislike this green, than you can definitely try it even with fresh parsley.
Dhone pata are cilantro leaves and fritters are called bora. Coming from my Bengali roots, deep fried fritters should flow in my veins!
Bengalis love anything deep-fried, be it for breakfast, lunch, snacks or dinner.
If you ever visit a Bengali family for an everyday meal, you are assured to find at least one variety of fritters on the menu. It’s classically served with steamed rice and daal or steamed rice and ghee (clarified butter).
That’s how the meal starts, followed by several other courses.
I am not going to the subject of everyday-multi-course-Bengali-meal, that’s for some other post.
Today, I just want to chat about these dhone pata boda (cilantro fritters).
What is Dhone Pata Bora?
Dhone Pata refering to cilantro leaves or coriander leaves, and Boda refers to fritters.
I know how some of you utterly dislike the taste of cilantro leaves and find the taste similar to that of soap (yes, I heard some famous chefs refering to soap).
Honestly, that made no logic to me until I read the article, which gives a very scientific cause for such distastes.
So, if you fall in the I-hate-cilantro category, then you might want to try this recipe with parsley.
Very Minimal Ingredients
It’s the sheer simplicity of the ingredients that makes these fritters so easy and quick to whip together.
Rice Flour or corn flour: Little bit of rice flour or corn flour is added for the texture, there are a couple of green chilies for heat.
Chickpea Flour: To bind it all together, quintessential chickpea flour (besan) is mixed in.
Nigella seeds and turmeric : The only two spices that goes in along with salt for seasoning.
Even though its deep fried, it doesn’t feel very heavy on the belly. However, if you want to completely steer away from deep-frying, you can certainly shallow fry these.
Fritters are my favorite and I enjoy the versatility.
We can go as creative as we crave, or go extremely humble like these fritters with cilantro as the hero.
Even though I use cilantro everyday in my cooking, there are a few such situations when am still left with a ginormous bunch to finish.
And that predictably happens when the husband is not very sure of how much herb I asked him to buy. So, it’s either chutney or these dhone pata boda.
Dhone Pata Bora (Cilantro Fritters)
Ingredients
- 3 cups finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons rice flour/corn flour or semolina
- 2 tablespoon gram flour
- 2 green chili (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon nigella seeds
- ½ teapsoon turmeric powder
- salt
- very little water to mix it all together
- oil to deep fry the fritters
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a bowl and sprinkle little water as you start mixing it all together. Avoid adding too much water else it will get too moist. Once the consistency is good enough to form dumplings, you can start frying these.
- In a deep saucepan or wok, add enough oil. Drop the dumplings slowly and do not over crowd the pan or wok. It should take about 4 to 5 minutes for one batch of fritters to cook through.
Nutrition
Manolina Banerjee
Hi,
Just seeing this recipe brings me back to my childhood. I come from a Bengali household as well and would love to try this dish ASAP. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Cygnet Kitchen
I love coriander, these little fritters look perfect to serve with an aperitif! What could be more simple! Thank you for sharing Kankana x
Sissi
What an unusual and delicious-looking dish! My husband is one of the haters you mention, but I'm a huge coriander fan, so I eat twice as much when I have it (and I do buy it very often...).
I'll certainly test your recipe very soon, especially since there is chilli inside too! Frankly, these fritters were invented for me 🙂
Shanna | Kiss My Bow
Oh my goooood these looks amazing! SO amazing! And so simple!
mjskitchen
For all of us cilantro lovers, you have created a awesome snack! The addition of the green chile makes these absolutely perfect. Thanks for sharing!
Claudia B.
YUM these fritters look amazing! And don't worry, I am definitely a coriander girl. And LOVE the turquoise boards you have going on in the background, it is stunning!
Abbe @ This is How I
I would take those crunchy fritters any day! I love cilantro!
Ami@NaiveCookCooks
Girl that background board is DREAMY!!! Such a creative board!! Did you make it your self?!! I am in love with it!! And your photography as always is stunning and these fritters! Well lets just say I am making them this weekend for sure as never before heard of cilantro fritters! Hugs 🙂
Sarvani
My mom is from odisha and I have inherited their love for deep fried stuff! infact a comfort meal would be hot rice, moong dal, generous serve of ghee on top and then some bhaja with it.. I have never had cilantro bhaja.. but every once in a while, we have deep fried spinach..sometimes its chopped up and sometimes the whole leaf is dipped in batter and fried and it is just heaven!!
angiesrecipes
I am a huge fan of cilantro! These fritters are simply made for me.
Meeta
I am a huge pakora / fritter fan and this reminds me that I need to make them again with some good tamarind chutney. Perfect!
Sandhya hariharan
The coriander fritters are looking absolutely comforting with some chai.. The house must have been aromatic while crying them, isn't it?
Soma
Kankana,
I just love love your blog! I can relate to every work you write! I grew up in Shillong and have been living in San Jose for the last few years. You're just awesome!
Soma
Bina
These look delicious, Kankana! Deep fried foods are my weakness....pick them over sweets any day. Have to try this 🙂