When you are looking for something light, nutritious, and satisfying for your morning or evening meals, rice flour and chana dal fara make an excellent choice. This traditional delicacy holds a special place in the culinary culture of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The best part about this dish is that it requires almost zero oil and is very easy on the digestive system, making it a popular pick for health-conscious food lovers. If you enjoy wholesome traditional snacks, here is an effortless guide to preparing authentic fara right in your kitchen without any hassle.
Preparing the Chana Dal Filling
The first step in crafting this traditional snack involves getting the split Bengal gram ready. Take a bowl of chana dal and let it soak in water for approximately 3 to 4 hours. This soaking process allows the lentils to expand fully, which makes them much easier to grind later. Once soaked, rinse the lentils thoroughly under clean water and drain out all the excess liquid completely.
Grinding the Spiced Lentil Paste
Next, transfer the soaked chana dal into a grinder jar. Add ginger, cumin seeds, green chillies, and garlic cloves along with the dal. Remember not to add any water while grinding so that you get a coarse paste. Mix in salt, a dash of turmeric powder, asafoetida, and freshly chopped coriander leaves directly into this spiced lentil mixture, blending everything thoroughly.
Kneading the Rice Flour Dough
For the outer covering, take a pan and bring water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and a little oil into the boiling water. Turn off the heat source and stir in the rice flour carefully. Cover the pan and let it sit for about 5 minutes so the steam cooks the flour slightly. Afterward, knead the mixture by hand until it forms a smooth and soft dough. Roll out small portions of this rice dough into small flat rounds and place a spoonful of the prepared chana dal filling right in the center of each.
Shaping the Fara
Fold each roundel gently from the middle. Make sure that you do not seal the edges completely. It should resemble the shape of a traditional dumpling or gujiya, but left open on the sides so the steam can circulate properly during cooking.
Steaming and Tempering
Set up a steamer with boiling water inside. Place the shaped faras in the steamer and let them steam for 15 to 20 minutes until they are thoroughly cooked. Once all the pieces are steamed, prepare a flavorful tempering for them. Heat mustard oil in a kadhai, and let mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, and dry red chillies crackle in the hot oil. Toss the steamed faras into this tempering and lightly stir-fry them for a short while.
Serving Suggestions
Your aromatic and delicious fara is now ready to be served and enjoyed. Pair these warm bites with tomato ketchup, spicy green chutney, or a special tomato and green chilli dip. You can also relish them alongside South Indian accompaniments like coconut chutney or peanut chutney.
For more healthy options, you can check out this nutritious green moong dal chilla recipe, or learn how to preserve seasonal flavors with this homemade mango jam guide by Chef Kunal Kapur.
