While looking for something else last night, I found the recipe for bara a Bangladeshi co-worker wrote from me more than twenty years ago. I’m overjoyed! These little ~2 oz. lentil patties are moist, crisp, delicious and totally addicting. Eat bara with your fingers or a fork. They require no dipping sauce or condiment.

Bara (lentil cake)

Ingredients
Lentils – 1 lb. dry
Garlic – 1 small clove
Ginger – little piece
Onion – 1 big
Coriander leaves – a few
Cumin powder – 1 tsp.
Green pepper – 1 small
Oil

(Here in the West, coriander leaves are called cilantro.)

Cooking:
1. Soak in water lentils, garlic and ginger for 4 to 5 hours.
2. Drain the water.
3. Blend it to make a dough – shouldn’t be too soft.
4. Chop onion, coriander and green pepper.
5. Mix all these together with the dough.
6. Add also cumin powder.
7. Scoop them to fry in deep oil. (med hi temp)

Step 8 instructed me to bring some for my co-worker because he was HILARIOUS. Haven’t seen him in years. I still miss his wife’s cooking.