If somebody asks you about pholourie then being an Indian you may think it is something new food. But I ask whether did you ever try fuluri then all east Indian people, particularly Bengali people will say “Yes, we all love fuluri with hot masala tea in the evening“. Actually, Indo Caribbean pholourie and Bengali fuluri are same food but is is known as Pholourie in Caribbean island and fuluri in Eastern parts of India.
Though a few days back I did not know that fuluri is that much popular in the Caribbean islands. It is such a food which is very common snack across the Bengal. Suddenly I started believing that our fuluri becomes so international now, haha. It was really a proud moment. But I came to know that a few hundred years back, there were so many Indian people who migrated from India, particularly East Indian people but it was fuluri, one of a few Indian snacks which was so close to those people so that they made it popular and own this food again and made it one Indo Caribbean food.
| Indo Caribbean pholourie also adopted local taste and developed slightly their own versions like Trinidad pholourie, Guyanese pholourie etc. This is an interesting example of the reflection of history from food & culture of a community. They use to add some of their favorite spices in this pholourie to make perfect according to their taste. You may be surprised to see Guyana as a part of Caribbean islands. But it is true that Guyana, a small country in South America is often considered as a part of Caribbean region. If you think it is wrong then you can leave a comment below and share your opinion. |
In Bengal, it is most preferred and very easily available snack. Most of corner in Indian city, you will find a street food stall where fuluri is being sold in the evening. There is atleast one such fuluri selling shop at almost every market area & railways station road area in Bengal. Bengali people love to have fuluri with puffed rice in the evening with a cup of tea. Did you ever try this food combination ever? It gives a heavenly feeling and a happy evening. Bengali fuluri is also available at very less price. A few days back I have bought six super delicious & soft fuluri for Rs 18. It is much cheaper than any other fried stuff like chop, samosa, cutlet etc.
Though Bengali people love to have these fuluri along with masala muri & green chilies but I love to have those soft fried snack with Indian mint sauce or pudina chutney. I find this snack very delicious along with pudina chutney.
I have plenty of homegrown mint leaves, so I never need to go to market to buy mint leaves for pudina chatni. I have grown mint plants in a large container from where I can collect enough mint leaves whenever I will need those leaves.
My mom also cooked this awesome snack several times at home. But there is a little difference in fuluri cooked at home and fuluri bought from a street food stall. This difference not in taste but in shape because if you want to get perfect round shaped traditional fuluri then you need to use enough oil so that its batter does not touch the bottom of cooking pot. If it is cooked in less oil then it will become flattened because in such case uncooked fuluri will touch the bottom of the cooking pot and it will spread horizontally. Otherwise, if I will compare both homemade fuluri and fuluri at a street food stall, then I always find homemade fuluri is is much better because it is healthier.
How to make Bengali fuluri at home?
Bengali fuluri recipe
- 1 cup besan/chickpea flour/Bengal gram flour
- 1.5 teaspoons ginger paste
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1.5 teaspoons turmeric powder
- 2.5 teaspoon baking powder
- Salt as needed
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped, optional
- ⅔ cup water
- Enough refined oil for deep frying
- Combine all ingredients to make a smooth batter, check its consistency & thickness (do not make the batter too much thin like water or too much tight. It should be little sticky with your hand or spoon)
- Now heat enough oil in a cooking pot and add some batter by using your hand after each 1.5 inch in oil
- Fry over medium fire till the outer portion of fuluri turns to slightly reddish, then take fried fuluri out from oil and keep those on a tissue, so that it can absorb extra oil and make it little healthier
Difference in Caribbean pholourie and Bengali fuluri
But in case you want to make Trinidadian pholourie or Guyanese pholourie then you need to use yeast to ferment the batter. Though the taste is almost same but if you ferment batter then it will become more soft and slightly sour in taste too. Instant active yeast is more convenient to use here because it will save time to make those Caribbean pholourie.
Local people prefer to add all purpose flour in Caribbean pholourie along with besan/chick pea flour but Here Indians prefer to use only besan/ chick pea flour to make delicious fuluri.
Fuluri is not a spicy food but it is a soft fried snack what people love to eat with puffed rice (muri) or tomato sauce, tamarind & jaggery chatni or pudina chatni. Whereas Guyanese pholourie is little bit spicy because they love to add cumin powder, garam masala, curry powder etc. But if you try its Trinidadian version then you will find it is not so spicy.
Apart from that in both versions (Caribbean Pholourie recipe & Bengali fuluri recipe) some people often add finely chopped onion & coriander leaves. But traditionally onion is not used to make Bengali style fuluri.
So are you ready to make Bengali fuluri at home?
I first heard about fulouri as a carbbian dish .Being a Delhite bengali I myself didn’t know what Fulouri is .But when I googled it I remembered having read about it ,it is some kind of a fritter without adding any vegetables to it . Anyway the food culture carried by Indentured labours from Bihar has become an international food .