Assamese massor dal boror tenga or red lentil fritters in sour gravy.
Assam, a state in northeastern India known for its archeological sites, wildlife, tea gardens, and Assam silk.
A traditional meal in Assam begins with a khar, a class of dishes named after the main ingredient, and ends with a tenga or sour dish.
Sending this post to the Facebook group
Shhhhh cooking secretly challenge
For this month’s monthly challenge my partner is Shobana Vijay who blog at
http://shobasdelight.blogspot.in/?m=1
Shobana gave me two of my favourite ingredients, potatoes and green chilli. And I choose this superbly delicious tangy masoor dal fritter curry or massor dal boror tenga.
I have already shared one more Assamese recipe
Masor tenga or tangy fish curry
Masor tenga or tangy fish curry
Recipe
Masoor dal or red lentil – 1/2 cup
Grated ginger – 1/2 teaspoon
Green chilli – 2
Garlic – 2 cloves, optional
Asafetida or hing – a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
For gravy
Onion – 1 medium, finely chopped
Green chilli – 2, slit
Panch phoran ( a mixture of cumin seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, and nigella or kalonji) – 1 teaspoon
Bay leaf – 2
Tomato – 4 medium, chopped
Grated ginger – 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
Potato – 2 medium, boiled
Mustard oil – 2 tablespoon
Sugar – 1/2 teaspoon, optional
Salt to taste
Water – 1 & 1/2 cup
Cilantro or coriander leaves and slit green chilli for garnishing
Method
Wash the masoor dal or red lentil. Soak in water for 30 – 40 minutes.
Now grind the lentil with 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger, 2 chopped green chilli, 2 garlic cloves and a pinch of hing or asafetida.
Make a smooth paste. Add little water if require to grind.
Take out the mixture in a bowl. Add salt and mix well.
Heat sufficient oil in a pan. Drop a spoon of lentil mixture in it. Fry from both sides till golden brown.
Place the fried lentil fritters on a paper towel.
You can taste one. Yummy isn’t it 😊
You can also serve it hot as a snack with any chutney or sauce.
Mash the boiled potatoes roughly and keep aside.
Now heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pan. You can use same oil in which lentil fritters are fried.
Add panch phoran. And let it splutter.
Add bay leaf, chopped onion and slit green chilli. Fry till the onions become translucent.
Now add chopped tomatoes and 1 teaspoon grated ginger. Saute till the tomatoes become mushy.
Add coriander powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder. Add sugar if you are using. You can add 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro or coriander leaves too if you like.
Saute till oil leaves the sides.
Add boiled and mashed potato and mix well.
Add 1 & 1/2 cup water and let it boil.
Cook on simmer for 8 – 10 minutes.
Add lentil fritters, stir well and switch off the flame.
Garnish with chopped cilantro or coriander leaves and slit green chilli.
Serve hot with steamed rice.
Notes –
1. Fritters will soak the gravy so add water as you like the gravy thick or runny. I love thick gravy.
2. Add chilli according to your taste.
I would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and suggestions in comment.
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mistimaan says
Looks too tasty……loved it 🙂
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thank you so much 😊😊
Sumith says
Nice to know Assamese culture of ending the course with a sour dish. Very interesting dish. Nice share Sujata.
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thanks a lot Sumith. Your words means a lot to me 😊😊
Vidya Narayan says
This is superb! Simple ingredients that are available at home transformed into a lovely Assamese dish that i had no idea about. Very interesting!
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thanks a lot dear. Yes you are right. Simple ingredients and very easy to make yet delicious 😍😍
Ruchisvegkitchen says
Thanks for introducing to the lovely dish.. sounds so delicious
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thank you so much dear 😍 😍
Poonam Bachhav says
The red lentil fritters in sour gravy looks so inviting di. Book marking the recipe , will try this for sure. I guess the fritters alone will be great starter option !
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thanks a lot Poonam. Yes you are right dear. Fritters are crispy and delicious. I have mentioned it in the post 😍😍
Rajashree says
So lovely to see my state being represented in your platter… It looks very inviting….Almost every households of Assam has their own version of tenga…At my mother’s place onions ,hing,garlic and bay leaf are not used…My Mil has a different version… She makes it only with dried thekera and lentils…Amazing isn’t it..
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thanks a lot Rajashree. Its really amazing to know the different versions of one dish. Just love this and Masor tenga both. Waiting to try some more recipes from Assamese cuisine 😊😊
mayurisjikoni says
This curry definitely looks so delicious. Very different from the way I normally prepare dals. The crispy fritters makes it very tempting.
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thanks a lot Mayuri 😊 😊
Shobha Keshwani says
Lovely curry.. I made the same and enjoyed it.
Batter Up With Sujata says
Thank you so much. Yes same here. Loved the taste 😍
Adam Mathis says
Hello mate great blog poost