Black Lentil Pakora Recipe: Make Crispy Snacks

Although you may have tried various types of curry pakora, have you tried moringa leaf curry pakora? If not, we will tell you a simple recipe that you can easily make for lunch.

If you are tired of monotonous eating and want to try something healthy and tasty, try moringa leaf curry pakora. Moringa is also known as Sahjan, and its leaves contain many nutrients. Usually, curry is made based on gram flour (besan) and yogurt, but adding moringa leaf pakora makes the taste even more special. This dish can be served with rice, flatbreads, or khichdi. The advantage is that it can be made from ordinary ingredients available at home. Let's find out what ingredients are needed to prepare moringa curry pakora and what simple cooking method exists.

First, the moringa leaves must be thoroughly washed and finely chopped. Then, in one pot, mix gram flour (besan), red chili powder, turmeric, ajwain (ajwain), asafoetida (hing), salt, and Eno. Add the moringa leaves and gradually pour in a little water to obtain a thick batter. It is important that the batter is not too runny.

Now, pour the batter into a non-stick pan (appepan) lightly greased with oil, and fry the pakora on both sides until golden and crispy. If you do not have a non-stick pan, you can deep-fry small pakoras in hot oil in a pot. Set the cooked pakoras aside.

To make the curry in one pot, mix yogurt, gram flour (besan), turmeric, and salt. Add 2 cups of water and whisk thoroughly to avoid lumps. Then place the mixture on the stove and heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture starts to thicken, reduce the heat and cook for about 10 minutes.

Prepare the aromatic tempering next. To do this, heat ghee in a small pan. Add cumin seeds (rai), cumin, dried red chili, cinnamon, and curry leaves, and let them sizzle. Add the prepared tempering to the curry. After that, add the moringa pakora and cook for a few minutes, then turn off the heat.

Your delicious moringa curry pakora is ready. Garnish it with fresh coriander and serve hot with rice, flatbreads, or moong dal khichdi.

Ghugni, made from black gram, is very popular in Bihar. Its spicy taste significantly enhances the dining experience, and it can be eaten at any time—from breakfast to satisfying evening hunger. This article provides a simple guide on how to prepare this dish at home.

Bihari cuisine is known for its authentic flavors and traditional dishes that residents enjoy throughout the day. One such dish is black gram ghugni. This dish, prepared using spices and mustard oil, is characterized by a bright, spicy flavor while remaining quite easy to make. If you want to diversify your diet, try making black gram ghugni in the Bihari style.

To prepare this dish, you will need black gram, onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and a set of various spices. The flavor of this ghugni is especially enhanced when served with hot puri, paratha, roti, chuda (poha), or muri (murmura). Next is a detailed description of the cooking process.

First, soak the black gram in water overnight. In the morning, drain the water and place the gram in a pressure cooker along with water and a small amount of salt. Cook until it reaches 4–5 whistles, until the gram is completely soft.

After that, heat mustard oil in a pot. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Then fry the ginger, garlic, and green chili for a few seconds. After this, add the finely chopped onion and fry until golden brown.

When the onion is browned, add the tomatoes, turmeric, red chili, coriander powder, and salt to taste. Simmer the mixture until the tomatoes become soft and the entire mixture is well cooked.

Then, add the boiled black gram to the pot and mix with the spices for two to three minutes. After this, add the required amount of water and let the dish simmer for some time so that the gram fully absorbs the spice aromas. If you want a thicker consistency, you should reduce the amount of added water.

Turn off the heat and sprinkle the dish with finely chopped fresh coriander. To enhance the flavor, you can add a little lemon juice. Your Bihari-style ghugni is ready. It can be served hot with puri, paratha, roti, chuda (poha), or muri (murmura). To further improve the taste, you can sprinkle finely chopped onion and chaat masala on top. In winter, a light hint of ginger can also make the dish more piquant.