Bara

Name: Bara
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Suriname
Ingredients: 2 cups split yellow peas, soaked and skinned; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 chili pepper, chopped; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; Salt to taste; Oil for deep frying

8 servings30 min prep15 min cookEasy Suriname

♡ Sign in to save Print / Save as PDFPro

The Story Behind It

The Tale of Bara

Bara, a fried lentil or split-pea fritter, was brought to Suriname by Indian indentured laborers starting in 1873, closely related to the Indian vada. It's now a popular Indo-Surinamese street snack, often eaten alongside roti as part of Suriname's layered food culture.

Ingredients

Scale:· 8 servings

2 cups split yellow peas, soaked and skinned
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chili pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Instructions

1Drain the soaked, skinned split peas and grind into a thick, smooth paste.
2Stir in cumin seeds, turmeric, garlic, chili, and salt.
3Fold in baking powder just before frying to keep the batter light.
4Heat oil in a deep pan to medium-high heat.
5Wet your hands and shape small portions of the batter into flat rounds.
6Fry until golden brown and puffed on both sides, about 3-4 minutes.
7Drain on paper towels.
8Serve hot with chutney.

Want Cook Mode, your own recipe photos, and unlimited calculators?

Get Home Cooking Pro

Comments

Loading comments…