· By ODM Masala
Posto Bora Recipe: Crispy Bengali Poppy Seed Fritters
Quick answer: Posto bora is a crispy Bengali fritter made by soaking poppy seeds, grinding them into a thick paste with green chillies, then shallow-frying small flat patties in mustard oil. It needs no egg and no besan, and goes from soaked seeds to the plate in about 25 minutes.
Also known as: posto bora, poppy seed fritters or khus khus vada in English; the seeds themselves are called posta dana, khus khus or posto (Bengali), gasagase (Kannada) and kasa kasa (Tamil).
If you have tried aloo posto, posto bora is its crunchy cousin. It is the side dish Bengali homes fry when there is dal and rice on the table and somebody wants something special without much effort. The whole dish depends on one ingredient, so the quality of your poppy seeds matters more than anything else.
What do you need for posto bora?
This makes about 8 small boras, enough for 2 to 3 people as a side.
- 1/2 cup (about 75 g) ODM Posta Dana (white poppy seeds)
- 2 to 3 green chillies, to taste
- 1 small onion, very finely chopped (optional, but it adds crunch)
- 1 to 2 tsp rice flour, only if the paste feels loose
- 1/4 tsp kalonji (optional, for a gentle onion-like bite)
- Salt to taste and a pinch of sugar
- 3 to 4 tbsp mustard oil for shallow frying
How do you make posto bora step by step?
- Soak the seeds. Cover the poppy seeds with hot water and leave for 30 to 45 minutes. Soaking softens them so they grind smooth.
- Drain well. Pour through a fine strainer or a thin cloth. Poppy seeds are tiny, so a normal strainer will lose half of them.
- Grind to a thick paste. Grind with the green chillies, adding only a spoon or two of water. The paste should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon. Too much water is the most common mistake.
- Season. Mix in the onion, kalonji, salt and a pinch of sugar. If the mixture spreads when you shape it, add rice flour a teaspoon at a time.
- Shape. Wet your palms and press small portions into flat discs about the size of a large coin and 1 cm thick.
- Heat the oil. Warm the mustard oil in a flat pan until it just starts to smoke, then lower the flame to medium.
- Fry slowly. Place the boras in the pan and fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp. Flip gently, only once.
Serve hot with plain rice and dal, or with musur dal and a squeeze of lemon. They are best eaten within a few minutes, while the outside is still crunchy.
Why do posto boras break or turn soggy?
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Boras break in the pan | Paste too watery | Add 1 tsp rice flour and chill the mixture for 10 minutes |
| Gritty texture | Seeds not soaked long enough | Soak in hot water for the full 30 to 45 minutes |
| Soggy, oily boras | Oil not hot enough | Heat the oil first, then fry on medium, not low |
| Bitter taste | Old or stale poppy seeds | Use fresh, clean seeds and store them airtight |
Which poppy seeds work best for posto bora?
Use white (ivory) poppy seeds, the kind sold in India as posta dana or khus khus. They should be pale, evenly sized, free from dust and tiny stones, and smell mildly nutty. Seeds that smell musty or taste bitter will spoil the whole batch, because nothing else in the recipe hides their flavour.
ODM Posta Dana is pure and clean, free from impurities, and packed without any fillers or additives. Store poppy seeds in an airtight jar away from heat and sunlight, and use them within a few months for the best taste.
Poppy seeds are also easy to confuse with til (sesame seeds). If you are not sure which is which, our guide on khus khus vs til explains the difference. And once you have a jar at home, try the classic aloo posto recipe next.
FAQ
What is posto bora in English?
Posto bora means poppy seed fritters in English. "Posto" is the Bengali word for white poppy seeds (khus khus) and "bora" means a fritter or small fried patty.
Can I make posto bora without onion?
Yes. Many Bengali homes make it with just poppy seed paste, green chilli and salt. Without onion the boras are softer inside, so keep the paste a little thicker.
Can I bake or air-fry posto bora?
You can, but the texture changes. Brush the discs with a little mustard oil and air-fry at around 180°C for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once. They will be drier than pan-fried boras.
For crisp, nutty boras that taste the way they should, start with good seeds. Try ODM Posta Dana in your next batch.