CHAULA BARA / CHAUL BARA / RICE FRITTERS / RICE WADA

Chaula bara or chaaul bara as it is called, is a famous street snacks of the whole Western Odisha. It is crunchy from outside and fluffy, soft from inside. It goes well with two types of special chutneies i.e. tentel jhol (tentuli jhola or tamarind water) and patalganta chutney (tomato chutney). When the hot baras are dip into tamarind water and tomato chutney, it tastes heavenly. So, here is the recipe for this lip-smaking chaul bara.

INGREDIENTS:

For Chaula Bara:

• Par-Boiled rice - 2 Cups
• Urad dal - 2 tablespoons
• Carom seeds - ¼ teaspoon
• Cumin seeds - ½ teaspoon 
• Onion - 1 medium, chopped
• Green chili - 3 - 4, chopped
• Ginger - 1 inch, chopped
• Coriander leaves - 2 tablespoons, chopped
• Curry leaves - 2 springs, chopped
• Baking soda - 1/2 teaspoon
• Hot water
• Salt to taste
• Oil to deep fry

For Tomato Chutney:

• Tomato - 2 medium, chopped
• Green chili - 2 nos.
• Ginger -  ½ inch
• Garlic - 2 cloves
• Coriander leaves- 1 tablespoon, chopped
• Mint leaves - 1 tablespoon, chopped
• Kashmiri red chilli powder - ½ tablespoon
• Salt to taste

For Tentuli Jhol :

• Tamarind Pulp - 2 tablespoons
• Green chilli - 2 -3, chopped
• Garlic - 3 - 4 cloves, chopped
• Chilli powder - ½ teaspoon 
• Salt to taste
• Sugar - 1 tablespoon, optional
• Refined oil - 2 tatablespoons 
• Panchphoran - ¼ tablespoon (cumin, mustard, saunf, black cumin & fenugreek seeds)
• Curry leaves -  1 stem
• Water as required
• Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon, chopped

PROCEDURE:

For Chaula Bara:

1. Wash and soak the rice and urad dal in hot water for 6 to 7 hours or overnight.
2. Grind to a thick smooth batter by adding little water. Stir it for sometime so that the batter is light.
3. Now add chopped onion, carom seeds, cumin seeds, baking soda, salt,  chopped green chilli, ginger, coriander leaves and curry leaves and mix it well.
4. Meanwhile heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed pan. Once oil is hot, take a spoonful of batter in your hand and carefully drop into hot oil. Repeat the same with the remaining batter.
5. Fry till the color changes to golden colour. Flip and cook the other side. When all baras turns into light golden colour, remove to an absorbent paper so that excess oil is drained out.

For Tomato chutney:

1. Take all ingredients i.e. chopped tomato, green chilli, ginger, garlic, pudina leaves, coriander leaves in a blending jar and make a smooth paste with 1 tablespoon of water.
2. Adjust the consistency by adding extra water as you required. Then add salt and red chilli powder and mix well.
3. Tomato chutney is ready.

For Tentuli Jhol:

1. Soak the tamarind pulp in water for 15 minutes. Mash the pulp in water and remove the pulp and seeds, if any.
2. Take the water in a bowl and adjust the consistency by adding little plain water as required.
3. Crush the ginger, garlic and green chilli and add to the tamarind water along with salt, sugar & red chilli powder. 
4. Then add 2 tablespoons of refined oil in a heated pan, add panchphoran and curry leaves and add this tadka to the tamarind water mixture. Add chopped coriander leaves on top.
5. Tentel jhol / tamarind water is ready to go with the crispy chaula bara.

Serve the chaula bara in a green leafy bowl or dana along with tentel jhol and tomato chutney and enjoy your evening.

NOTE: 

• Chaula bara is usually prepared with par-boiled rice. If you don't have par-boiled rice, you can also prepare with any rice.
• Tadka in tentuli jhol is optional. Without tadka it also tastes good.
• To make the chaula bara more crunchy and brown colour, you can fry them for second time.

Have you tried this "Chaula Bara with Tentel Jhol" ? Please give your comments below.