Radhaballavi

It’s been eight years documenting various recipes I learned and tried over the years on my blogging journey. It’s fun but loads of work to post after managing my family. Today I bring you a heavenly delicious Bengali style fried stuffed bread Radhaballavi which is  served at Bengali wedding ceremonies and as a special treat for breakfast, lunch or dinner in many Bengali households.

Bengali cuisine offers array of stuffed fried bread made with simple pantry ingredients. They are widely popular in small eateries in West Bengal. People would line up to savor these classic fried stuffed breads served with rustic potato curry or Bengal gram curry. I always wondered why it’s called Radhaballavi. Then I learned from a food group a couple of years back that Radhaballavi got its name from Radha and Ballav(Lord Krishna). A whitish mildly sweet fried bread stuffed with lightly spiced white lentil was a offering to Radha and Ballav(Lord Krishna) in one of the jamider's family temple in West Bengal.

Radhaballavi's stuffing is made with mostly white lentil as we call it kalai er dal in Bengali but some says Bengal gram. As far as I remember in my growing up years, local confectioners were brought home to make everything from appetizer to main dishes and desserts for every meal for any happy occasions such as wedding ceremonies, rice eating ceremonies etc. I had witnessed many times how they prepared certain dishes. They used white lentil for Radhaballavi stuffing and fried either in pure ghee or Dalda,(a famous brand shortening) or vegetable oil. As a special treat I make it too for lunch or dinner with all plant ingredients. Unlike other stuffed bread Radhaballavi stuffing is much sweeter and we like it that way yet it is a savory bread. So adjust sweetness level accordingly Ideally Alurdom or Cholardal would be great accompaniment. But simple potato curry in a hurry goes great with it as well. This recipe and can make 14-17 Radhaballavi depending on the size. 

Ingredients~

For the stuffing:

3/4 cup white lentil, soaked in water

2 green chilies

2 tsp ginger paste

1/2 salt or to taste

5 tsp sugar or to taste

1 tsp roasted and grounded fennel seeds

1/2 tsp roasted and grounded coriander seeds 

2 tbsp oil

For the dough:

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tbsp oil

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water or as needed

1 1/4 cup oil for frying

Method~

Make the stuffing first:

Drain lentil and grind with chilies with little water till it become smooth but not too smooth. Heat oil and saute ginger paste for 30 seconds or less then immediately add in lentil paste and salt. Keep stirring until it dries up little bit in low heat. Add in ground spices and sugar. Continue stirring until small ball size portion can be rolled easily without sticking. Adjust salt and sugar as per taste. Let it cool at least for 20  minutes.

Make the dough:

Mix all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add in oil mix with hand, then add warm water and knead well to form a smooth pliable dough for about 3-4 minutes. Cover and rest it for about 10 minutes. 

Divide dough into desired portions. Take one portion, try to make a bowl shape with fingers little bit, place lentil stuffing and seal the edges carefully. Flatten the stuffed dough gently and roll gently with rolling pin to a round shape. It will be not too thick or thin. Fry in hot oil until one side puffs up then flip other side and fry to a light brown color. Serve with Cholardal or Alur Dom or Alurtorkari. 

Happy Cooking!