Introduction:

Pantaras is a nearly forgotten recipe from that time. A tea-time snack, it was said to be developed by cooks employed in Anglo-Indian kitchens at the time, who had traveled to work in Bengal from Burma. The Mog or Marma people were popular as cooks because they had no inhibitions about cooking meats like pork or beef.

Raja Nabakrishna Deb and his family often entertained the British officials, and on such occasions, the Mog cooks were called in to cook various European delicacies for the Sahibs. And thus, the pantaras was born, which used to be served with evening tea.

Pantaras is a Bengali dish with a rich history. When Raja Nabakrishna Deb used to entertain British officials for tea, his cooks would whip up this snack to serve alongside it. In 1935, it was then served at the legendary ‘Theta-Feta Club’, but as Kolkata’s club culture started fading, so did this recipe.

Let’s cook the dish pantaras together.

• Course Snacks
• Cuisine Indian

• Serve 6
• Author Gourob & Sudip

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Minced Meat
• 2 tsp Ginger Paste
• 1 tsp Garlic Paste
• 2 tbsp Onion Paste
• 2 tsp Chili Paste
• 1 tsp Cumin Paste
• 1 tsp Coriander Paste
• 1/4 cup Oil
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 3 Cardamoms
• 2 Pieces of Cinnamon (2 cm)
• 2 Cloves
• 4 Green Chillies
• 2 tbsp Curd (optional)
• 1/4 tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg Powder
• 1 tbsp Mint Leaves
• 2 Egg
• 4 cups Water
• 3 tsp Salt
• 3 cups Flour
• 1 cup toast Powder
• Oil for Frying

Instructions:

1. First, in a bowl, add 2 cups of minced meat, 2 teaspoons of ginger paste, 1 teaspoon of garlic paste, 2 tablespoons of onion paste, 2 teaspoons of chili paste, 1 teaspoon of cumin paste, 1 teaspoon of coriander paste, 2 tablespoons of yogurt and 1 Mix well with a cup of water and bring to a boil. Mix everything well and keep cooking. When the water is dry and the meat is cooked, remove from the heat.

2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add four chopped onions, one bay leaf, garam masala and green chillies to the oil. Fry well. Then strain it from the oil. Grind the fried spices well. Now fry the previously boiled meat and mint leaves in the remaining oil of the kadai. When the meat is fried well, fry the fried spices and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper powder, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg powder and 2 teaspoon of flour for a while. Once it is fried for a while, remove it from the heat.

3. Crack an egg in a bowl. Mix water and salt. Sprinkle all the flour two to three times. Sprinkle flour and mix well. Mix everything and beat eggs well to make a smooth mixture. The mixture will not thicken.

4. Heat a 15 cm diameter frying pan with a handle. Then apply some oil. When the pan is hot, pour some flour mixture in the center of the pan and quickly turn the pan handle to spread the mixture around. As if in the form of bread. Leave the bread on low heat for a minute and remove it from the pan. Make 36 loaves like this.

5. In another bowl take 2 tbsp of flour and mix it with little water.

6. Place a loaf of bread on a tray or bread pan. Place two tablespoons of cooked mince on one side of the bread. Fry the bread on both sides of the mince, wrap the bread with the mince and cover the mince. So that the minced meat is not visible from the outside. Spread the rolled dough on the edges of the bread. Trim the edges by pressing gently with your hands. Make all pantaras like this.

7. Now beat an egg in another bowl. Dip the prepared pantaras in the beaten egg and roll in the toast. Then deep fry in oil. When the pantaras turn brown in color, remove them from the oil.

Pantaras is ready. Now serve it hot with sauce.

Bhu Abhilekh