Radhaballavi

Radhaballavi reminds me of my childhood days, when chance of having them was only an affair of “byapar bari”(ocassion in the house. This is how my husband calls it 😂). For my mother, who was a working woman, preparing radhaballavi at home was not possible. Well!! it involves few steps, preparing the filling, stuffing them and then making the radhaballavis and frying them. Also, for me it has never been possible earlier due to my busy schedule. But this “noboborsho” when we are locked at home I decided to prepare an elaborate breakfast for my son and husband. Everything here was prepared from scratch. But however, could not manage time to post it. Luckily, today!!!!!!!

“Subho noboborsho” To all my friends. I am sure all of you must be having tough time during this lock-down. Here is my little effort to make this particular day special. Hope, the coming year brings you lot of joy and happiness…….

The pur/filling of radhaballavi is a lavishly done with a mixture of biulir daal, ada, mouribataa and slather of hing(asafoetida). Be careful while rolling the radhaballavis. overfilling the radhaballavi or pressing them hard while rolling might lead to opening up of the radhaballavis. In that case, the radhaballavis might not puff up and all the stuffings might come out in the oil. You can also serve radhaballavi with alur torkari.

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Bengali

Preparation time: 20 mins (excluding the soaking time)

Cook time: 40 mins

Servings: 20-22 pieces

Ingredients

For the dough

• 3 cups of whole wheat flour
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil/ghee
• Warm water for kneading the dough

For the filling

• 1 cup of biuli/kolai daal
• 1 ½ inch of ginger
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds soaked in water
• ½ teaspoon of hing/asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• Salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons of oil

Oil for deep frying the radhaballavi

Directions

Preparing the dough

1. Take the wheat flour in a bowl.
2. To it add salt and the oil.
3. Now, mix everything properly and evenly.
4. Now, gradually add warm water to the mixture to prepare a soft dough. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
5. Keep the dough covered with a wet towel and let it rest for at least 30mins.

Preparing the filling

1. Soak the biulir/kolai daal for 4-5 hours or overnight.
2. Grind the daal to a paste.
3. Make a paste of ginger, green chilies and the fennel seeds.
4. In a kadai add 3 tablespoons of oil. As the oil is hot add the hing to the kadai.
5. As the oil turns aromatic, add the ginger, chili and fennel paste.
6. Saute the spices till the raw smell of ginger is completely gone.
7. Add the daal paste to the kadai.
8. Add salt and sugar to the kadai and keep stirring continuously.
9. The mixture is extremely sticky and sticks to the pan therefore it needs to be stirred continuously.
10. Gradually, the mixture starts coming together like a dough.
11. Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool.

Preparing the radhaballavi

1. Take the dough and massage it again for couple of minutes.
2. Now take the dough and divide it into equal sized balls.
3. Divide the filling also into equal sized balls.
4. Roll one dough ball with the pin. Now take the daal mixture, put it in the center of the rolled dough.
5. Grease the rolling pin and board with some oil.
6. Now, seal the edges of the dough properly.
7. With your palms gently press the dough. This helps in even distribution of the filling in the radhaballavi.
8. Now, gently with the rolling pin, roll the radhaballavis and keep them aside.

Frying the radhaballavi

1. In a pan take oil for deep frying.
2. Once the oil is very hot, gently drop one radhaballavi in the oil.
3. With a spatula gently press the radhaballavi.
4. In no time the radhaballavis will puff up.
5. Gently flip the radhaballavis and fry the other side.
6. Remove the radhaballavi from oil with a slotted spoon.
7. Keep it aside and fry all the radhaballavis.
8. Serve radhaballavi with aloor dum or chholar daal.

Step by step instructions to prepare radhaballavi

Take the wheat flour in a bowl. To it add salt and the oil.

Now, mix everything properly and evenly.

Now, gradually add warm water to the mixture to prepare a soft dough. The dough should be soft but not sticky.

Keep the dough covered with a wet towel and let it rest for at least 30mins.

Soak the biulir/kolai daal for 4-5 hours or overnight. Grind the daal to a paste.

Make a paste of ginger, green chilies and the fennel seeds.

In a kadai add 3 tablespoons of oil. As the oil is hot add the hing to the kadai.

As the oil turns aromatic, add the ginger, chili and fennel paste. Saute the spices till the raw smell of ginger is completely gone.

Add the daal paste to the kadai.

Add salt and sugar to the kadai and keep stirring continuously.

The mixture is extremely sticky and sticks to the pan therefore it needs to be stirred continuously. Gradually, the mixture starts coming together like a dough.

Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool.

Take the dough and massage it again for couple of minutes.

Now take the dough and divide it into equal sized balls. Divide the filling also into equal sized balls. Roll one dough ball with the pin. Now take the daal mixture, put it in the center of the rolled dough.

Now, seal the edges of the dough properly.

Grease the rolling pin and board with some oil. With your palms gently press the dough. This helps in even distribution of the filling in the radhaballavi.

Now, gently with the rolling pin, roll the radhaballavis and keep them aside.

In a pan take oil for deep frying. Once the oil is very hot, gently drop one radhaballavi in the oil. With a sponns gently press the radhaballavi.

In no time the radhaballavis will puff up.

Gently flip the radhaballavis and fry the other side.

Remove the radhaballavi from oil with a slotted spoon. Keep it aside and fry all the radhaballavis. Serve radhaballavi with aloor dum or chholar daal.

Thank you for stopping by. If you like the recipe do not forget to hit like. If you prepare this dish and publish your photos on Facebook and Instagram do tag #theepicureanfeast. Also for queries you can mail me epicureanfeast2019@gmail.com