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Soft, spongy lentil fritters soaked in a creamy, sweet, and tangy yogurt sauce. This classic Bengali delicacy is a refreshing, chilled treat, perfect as a snack or for special occasions. Note: This recipe requires 4-6 hours for soaking the lentils and at least 3 hours for chilling.
For 4 servings
Soak the Lentils
Prepare the Batter
Fry the Boras (Vadas)
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Soft, spongy lentil fritters soaked in a creamy, sweet, and tangy yogurt sauce. This classic Bengali delicacy is a refreshing, chilled treat, perfect as a snack or for special occasions. Note: This recipe requires 4-6 hours for soaking the lentils and at least 3 hours for chilling.
This bengali recipe takes 50 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 481.63 calories per serving with 19.08g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for snack or appetizer or side.
Soak the Fried Boras
Prepare the Yogurt Sauce
Assemble and Chill
Garnish and Serve
Add a simple stuffing of chopped nuts like cashews and raisins in the center of each bora before frying for a festive touch.
For a completely savory version (like North Indian Dahi Vada), omit the sugar from the yogurt and add a tempering of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves.
For a lower-fat version, cook the boras in an appe (paniyaram) pan with minimal oil instead of deep-frying. The texture will be denser but it's a healthier alternative.
Urad dal is an excellent source of plant-based protein, which is essential for muscle repair, growth, and overall body function.
The use of curd (yogurt) provides beneficial probiotics that help maintain a healthy gut microbiome, aiding digestion and improving immunity.
This dish provides a good balance of carbohydrates from lentils and fats from frying, offering a sustained release of energy.
Doi Bora can be moderately healthy. The lentils (urad dal) are a good source of protein and fiber, and the yogurt (curd) provides probiotics and calcium. However, it is deep-fried, which adds significant calories and fat. It can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
One serving of Doi Bora (approximately 3 pieces) contains around 350-450 calories, depending on the amount of oil absorbed during frying and the sugar content in the yogurt.
Hard boras are usually the result of two things: the batter was not beaten enough, or too much water was added while grinding. Beating the batter vigorously for 5-7 minutes is crucial to incorporate air, making them light. The batter should be thick and fluffy, not runny.
Yes, for a healthier version, you can cook the boras in a greased appe (paniyaram) pan until golden brown on all sides. Alternatively, you can bake them, though the texture will be different from the traditional fried version—denser and less spongy.
Yes, you can make a vegan version by substituting the dairy yogurt with a thick, unsweetened plant-based yogurt, such as cashew, almond, or coconut yogurt. Ensure the yogurt is creamy and not too thin.
Doi Bora tastes best when fresh but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. The boras will continue to soften and absorb more yogurt over time.