Gorakhpur Fara Steamed Rice Stuffed Dumpling

Method

1. 1

   Cook and season the filling: Drain the pressure-cooked chana dal. Mash roughly — not completely smooth. Mix in roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder, garam masala, ginger paste and salt. Divide into 12 portions.

2. 2

   Make rice flour dough: Pour hot water over rice flour and salt. Mix quickly. Allow to cool slightly. Knead with wet hands for 3 minutes to a smooth, pliable dough. Keep wet hands throughout.

3. 3

   Shape the fara: Take a portion of dough. Flatten into a disc in your palm using wet fingers. Place one portion of chana dal filling in the centre. Fold the disc over and press the edges firmly to seal. Shape into an oblong or crescent.

4. 4

   Make all 12 fara.

5. 5

   Set up steamer: Bring water to a boil. Grease the steamer tray with oil.

6. 6

   Steam: Place fara on the greased steamer. Cover. Steam on high heat for 12 to 15 minutes until the outer rice coating looks translucent and slightly shiny.

7. 7

   Check: The fara is done when it pulls away cleanly from the steamer tray surface.

8. 8

   Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add mustard seeds — pop. Add curry leaves and dried red chilli.

9. 9

   Toss steamed fara in tempering: Drizzle the tempering over the steamed fara. Toss gently to coat.

10. 10

    Serve: Serve with green coriander chutney.

11. 11

    Note: Fara is the breakfast preparation of the Purvanchal districts of Uttar Pradesh — the eastern belt that includes Gorakhpur, Deoria, Azamgarh, Ballia and Mau. This region shares food traditions with neighbouring Bihar and the preparation is found on both sides of the state border. The rice flour dumpling stuffed with cooked dal is a preparation principle found across eastern India in various forms (Bengal's pitha, Odisha's pitha, Bihar's fara) and represents the widespread rice-and-lentil combined preparation tradition of the eastern Gangetic belt.