Ingredients

• Split Black Gram- 500gms
• Sesame seeds- 150gms
• Cumin- 1tsp
• Ginger- 2″ piece
• Dry red chilli- 2-3
• Asafoetida- a pinch (optional)
• Coriander leaves- a small bunch (optional)
• Salt- to taste

The Formula of Rashi Badi

Soak the gram for 5-6 hours. Clean and wash till the skins are cleared completely, and the lentil looks white. Grind with the stone grinder to a very smooth paste without adding water. However, water can be sprinkled if it is too dry to grind. The electric stone grinder can be used for this purpose but electric mixer grinders are not suitable for Badi. In the peak winter season, lentil paste can be made and kept covered overnight outdoors-a cool place, to prevent fermentation. It is common in rural areas to see women folk making Bodi early in the morning to get ample time to dry. Grind masala (cumin, ginger and dry chilli ) coarsely.

In a wide vessel, beat (whip) the paste, which is a necessary procedure to make the Rashi Badi light and crispy. Beating is done by hand in a rotating motion slowly till it becomes very light and fluffy approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Add salt, ground masala, asafoetida powder and sesame seeds. Mix well by beating for 2-3 minutes more.
Make small balls of 1″ diameter with a wet palm and place them on a thin damp cloth spread over a flat surface, to dry in sun. Greased tin sheets may also be used for drying. When completely dry peel off the Bodis from the cloth. It should be kept in sun for 4-5 days to dry well before storing in containers.
Rashi Badi is used widely in Odisha, especially in the summer season. But for preparation of Badhi, peak winter with bright sunny days is required for drying. Badi can be stored for 6-7 months. Deep or shallow-fried Bodi goes well with ‘Pakhal’ and can also be used as a snack.