ACK 8.11: Matar dal bara

Matar dal bara

Split-pea croquettes

This is one of the recipes that have earned Gopibhava dasi the reputation of being the finest cook among the Hare Krsna devotees in South Africa. When visiting devotees taste her cooking, they know that even though they have traveled far, they are still close to home.

Soaking time: overnight, plus 15 min in salted water
Preparation and cooking time: 25 min

2 1/2 cups (600 ml) plain yogurt
1 3/4 cups (350 g) green or yellow split-peas
2 tablespoon chopped coriander or parsley leaves
2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 fresh green chili, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
5 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups (1 liter) warm water
ghee or vegetable oil for deep-frying

Soak the split-peas overnight in water twice their volume. Then drain them.

Blend the split-peas in an electric blender, adding just enough fresh water to make a very thick paste. Scrape the paste into a bowl. Add half of each spice to the paste, along with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Mix well and set it aside. Reserve a teaspoon of the remaining salt and dissolve the rest into the warm water. Set the water aside.

Heat the ghee in a karhai or saucepan over medium heat. Moisten your hands and form the paste into small patties. Fry them in the ghee, turning once or twice, until they are nicely browned on all sides. Remove, and let them drain over the ghee for a moment. Then drop them into the salted water to soak for at least 15 minutes.

Combine the yogurt with the remaining spices and salt in a bowl. Mix well. After the baras have soaked, remove them from the salted water and place them in a serving bowl. Cover them with the spiced yogurt and serve.

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