NADIA BARA (Coconut Cutlets)

Orissa (Odisha now) has a huge coastline stretched across Bay of Bengal on it's east and hence is privileged to a tropical weather almost all year round. Tropical climate = loads of coconut trees. As a child, I had instant access to coconut in all forms, tender coconut, coconut water, desiccated coconut etc. We had coconut trees in our house and coconut delicacies were a popular thing. So today I'll share a recipe which is deliciously coconuty. 

PREP TIME	COOKING TIME	MAKES
20 minutes	20 minutes	15-16 medium sized cutlets

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients	Quantity
Fresh Shredded Coconut/ Small pieces of coconut	1 cup
Boiled Potatoes	1 cup
Chickpea Flour	3 Tablespoon
Ginger	a small piece
Green Chillies	4 - 5
*Amchur powder (Dry Mango powder)	2 teaspoon
Soaked Chana Daal (Yellow split lentil)	3 - 4 Tablespoon
Salt	To taste

* If you don't have easy access to Amchur powder (dry mango powder), no need to panic :) substitute with 
drops of lemon/lime juice. 

PREP

1. Soak the chana dal in water for around an hour before you make the cutlets.  If you forget to soak the lentils, soaking them in hot water will help hasten the process. If you able to break them with your fingers, they are done.If you don't have easy access to this ingredient, don't worry your cutlets will still be super tasty.
2. Boil potatoes like you would make mashed potatoes

PROCEDURE 

• Make a slightly grainy paste of the soaked chana dal (yellow split pea), ginger, coconut pieces and chillies in a grinder or food processor. 

• Add little water if your food processor does not cooperate. Mine always needs a little water for it to run.
• Transfer this paste into a bowl, add potatoes, chickpea flour, amchur powder, you'll get a very fluffy mixture. Add salt to taste.
• Heat a flat pan (the kind you use for making crepes or rotis) on medium heat
• Now make small patties of the mixture. Put a little water in your hands and roll the mixture into balls, put the balls directly on the pan and flatten them with your hands.

• Roast them equally on both sides until they become golden brown. Add a little oil to prevent them from drying up too much.
• Serve hot with green chutney/Sriracha or any hot/sweet sauce. 

WHERE CAN YOU FIND THESE INGREDIENTS

If you are not in India, you can easily find all the ingredients at any Indian Grocery store. In Canada I do know that Loblaws, Food Basics, Freshco and even Farmboy carry almost all of these ingredients. 

Feedback and comments always welcome!