Gohona Bori | Naksha Bori | Goyna Bori - A Rare Food Art from the State of West Bengal

Gohona Bori, also known as Naksha Bori or Goyna Bori, is a traditional and beautifully designed lentil dumpling from Bengal, particularly famous in the Midnapur District. This unique food art from Bengal is now recognized with a Geographical Indication tag. These dumplings, celebrated for their intricate designs, are as delightful to look at as they are to eat.

Debjani's Note

Recently, while exploring the history of Indian cuisine online, I stumbled upon a book called "Culinary Culture in Colonial India: A Cosmopolitan Platter and the Middle Class" by Dr. Utsa Ray. On a whim, I bought it and discovered a fascinating section about a rare food art from my home state of West Bengal: Gohona Bori, also referred to as Goyna Bori or Naksha Bori.

The term Goyna Bori immediately brought back a memory of a packet of Gohona Bori that a friend from university gave me back in 2007, when I was pursuing my Master's in Rural Development and Management. All I recall are some lovely sun-dried shapes made from lentil paste, and little else. How clueless I was back then!

Gohona Bori, are a culinary art form celebrated in West Bengal's West Midnapur District. Dr. Roy noted that even Rabindranath Tagore and his nephew, Abanindranath Tagore, admired the artistry of the women who created these delicacies. Inspired by this rich history, I decided to try my hand at recreating Gahana Bori, despite my limited artistic skills.

When it came to food, I was eager to try the local treats, though at the time, my focus was solely on enjoying the flavors, not really delving into the culture. But as they say, better late than never!

Gohona Bori - how to make it at home

These special Bori, are traditionally made with a paste of Moth Beans. The beautiful designs are created on a bed of Poppy Seeds, which adds a unique flavor when the Gohona Bori, also known as Naksha Bori, are fried. While the taste is similar to regular Bengali Bori, the appearance of Goina Bori is truly exceptional. They come in a variety of designs, including flowers, leaves, elephants, butterflies, fish, and jewelry patterns. In Bengali, "Gohona" even means "jewelry," highlighting the artistic nature of these edible creations.

Now, to my own attempt at making Gohona Bori: unfortunately, Moth Beans aren't readily available where I live in Gurgaon. Therefore, I've substituted with a paste of Vigna Mungo...

Goyna Bori or Naksha Bori- Recipe Tips

To make the paste, I used Dhuli Urad, also known as Kolai Daal. Aside from swapping the type of Daal, I followed the original recipe, including creating designs on a layer of poppy seeds and drying them in the sun for about two days. My designs were simple because I'm not very skilled at making these Goyna Bori. However, my limited experience decorating cakes with frosting turned out to be surprisingly useful when creating the patterns.

Here I must mention that even though I used the same classic ingredients, I didn't make the gohona bori in the traditional way. Usually, people use a piece of cotton to shape the lentil paste. Instead, I used a piping bag, and it worked great! It's a simple way to create this famous food art.

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Gohona Bori | Naksha Bori | Goyna Bori - A Rare Food Art from the State of West Bengal

Gohona Bori, also known as Naksha Bori, is a traditional andbeautifully designed lentil dumpling from Bengal, particularly famous in the Midnapur District. This unique food art from Bengal is now recognized with a Geographical Indication tag. These dumplings, celebrated for their intricatedesigns, are as delightful to look at as they are to eat.

Cuisine Bengali

Keyword Debjanir Rannaghar, gohona bori, gohona bori recipe debjanir rannaghar, goyna bori, naksha bori

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours

Servings 20 Gohona Bori

Calories 74kcal

Author Debjani Chatterjee Alam

Cost Rs 100

Equipment

• 2 Piping Bag

Ingredients

• 2 Cup Kolai Daal / Vigna Mungo/ Dhuli Urad Daal
• 2 teaspoon Salt
• ⅔ Cup Poppy Seed/ Posto/ Khuskhus
• 1 tablespoon Vegetable White Oil
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil for frying Bori

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Instructions

• Start by thoroughly washing the Urad Daal, then soak it in plain water overnight, or for at least 6-8 hours.
• The next morning, drain all the water from the soaked Daal. Now, grind the Daal into a smooth, fine paste, making sure not to add any water. This is crucial because adding water will result in a runny paste, which won't work for making Gohona Bori. I used my food processor for this.
• Next, place the Daal paste in a large bowl, add salt, and begin beating it with a spoon. Keep mixing until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
• To test if it's ready, drop a small amount of the mixture into a bowl of water. If it floats, it's perfect! If it sinks, continue beating for a few more minutes. It took me about 10 minutes of vigorous beating to get the right consistency.
• I used regular piping bags to create the designs. Fill two piping bags with the paste and secure the ends.
• Finally, take a flat steel plate, lightly grease it with oil, and sprinkle poppy seeds evenly to create a poppy seed bed.
• When working with lentil paste on your plate, remember to leave enough space between your shapes. I made five designs on each plate, and it took me five plates to use up all the paste.
• Keep cotton and a toothpick nearby - they're useful for making small adjustments as you go.
• Once you're done, dry the lentil paste designs in direct sunlight for about two to three days. Mine took two days to dry completely.
• You can store your Gohona Bori in airtight containers and serve them deep-fried with rice.

Notes

While I used the classic ingredients, I took a different approach to making the gohona bori. Instead of the usual cotton cloth, I used a piping bag to shape the lentil paste. It worked perfectly, and it's a much simpler way to create this beautiful and well-known food art.

Nutrition

Serving: 50g | Calories: 74kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 234mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 0g | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg

Serving Suggestion and Gohona Bori as a gift

Gohona Bori is more than just a delicious addition to rice and dal; it can be a truly unique and thoughtful gift if you are planning to gift somebody something unique from Bengal. Here are a few dal recipes that perfectly complement Gohona Bori when you're ready to serve.

Easy Bengali Recipes

• Pat Shaker Jhol (also known as Pat Patar Jhol)
• Shojne Phuler Chorchori
• Lau Patay Ilish Paturi (Lau Patay Ilish Bhapa)
• Pepe Chingri Ghonto | Bengali Raw Papaya Mishmash with Small Prawns (or Shrimp)
• Sada Ilish aka Ilisher Panikhola (Ilish Panikhola)
• Kosha Mangsho (also known as Bengali Mutton Kasha)
• Shukto a Bengali delicacy | Bengali Mix-veg Shukto Recipe

Have you tried the Bengali Gohona Bori / Goyna Bori / Naksha Bori recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!

Please inform me of your experience, and feel free to send a photo to [email protected]. Additionally, you can find me on various social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Google News, X, and Thread. Don't forget to use the hashtag #debjanirrannaghar when sharing your attempts at my recipes or if you have any questions or recipe requests.

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About Debjani Chatterjee Alam

I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.

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