Gyarani — a borar jhol recipe that carries the taste of undivided Bengal
Food researcher and historian Dipankar Dasgupta shares a cherished family recipe brought from Pabna to Kolkata after Partition
Published 12.05.26, 02:54 PM
Some recipes survive because families refuse to let them disappear. Food
researcher and historian Dipankar Dasgupta shares a recipe for Gyarani, a dish
passed down through generations of his family. This delicate borar jhol travelled
from Pabna in East Pakistan to Kolkata during Partition, carrying with it
memories of home, summer lunches and togetherness.
Prepared with motor (white pea) dal fritters simmered in a light
posto-based broth, Gyarani was once a showstopper of leisurely family meals
cooked by Dasgupta’s grandmother, Tarubala Dasgupta, whom he fondly called
Babuma. Over the years, this summer recipe found its way from grandmother to
daughters and grandchildren, preserving a taste of undivided Bengal in every
spoonful.
Ingredients
- Motor
dal (yellow split peas): 200–250g
- Poppy
seed paste (posto): 40–50g
- Whole
dried red chillies: 2
- Green
chillies: 2–3 (optional)
- Bay
leaves: 2
- Mustard
seeds: ¼ tsp
- Radhuni
(wild celery seeds): ¼ tsp
- Ginger
paste: 2 tsp
- Sugar:
1 ½ tsp
- Salt:
To taste
- Mustard
oil: For frying and tempering
- Ghee:
1 tsp
Method
- Soak
the motor dal overnight. Drain and grind into a fine, thick paste. Add a
pinch of salt and whisk until light and fluffy
- Heat
mustard oil in a wok and fry small round fritters until golden. Keep aside
- In a
clean wok, heat 1½ tbsp mustard oil and add dried red chillies, bay
leaves, mustard seeds and radhuni
- Once
aromatic, pour in 400ml of water along with salt and sugar. Bring to a
boil
- Add
the poppy seed paste and gently place the fried boras into the broth
- Simmer
on low heat for two minutes
- Add
green chillies, ginger paste and ghee. Simmer for another 30 seconds and
switch off the flame
- Let
the dish cool slightly before serving with steamed white rice
— My Kolkata Web Desk
Want to get featured in the
Try This Today
section of
?