Umbari Recipe - Death Anniversary Quintessential

Umbari are sweet, deep fried fritters served as an offering during the death anniversary rituals. 

It's a must make with split urad dal fritters - gharyo. 

Some families have a ritual of making them, some don't. Here's the recipe to make them easily, super quick. There are other variations made with rice, I like the taste, ease, simplicity of this recipe. 

Ingredients:

• 2 small over ripe bananas 
• 1/4 cup Jaggery powder
• A pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup Grated coconut 
• 1/4 cup wheat flour

Makes: 12-15 umbaris

Prep time: 10-12 minutes

Cooking time: 3-4 minutes

Preparation Method:

1. Peel & grind the over ripe bananas using a blender with enough jaggery powder. 

Alternatively, mash bananas using your hands, add jaggery piece by grating it into the mashed banana.

2. Add grated coconut, pinch of salt, mix well.

3. Add wheat flour, mix well, make a not too dry, not too watery batter. 

4. Deep fry in oil.

P.S:

To prevent batter from sticking to your fingers & so that they drop off easily off your fingers, dip your fingers in water between few drops of batter.

There are families that make these with rice, rice flour too. Replace wheat flour with rice/rice flour, use little beaten rice for softness. 

On days I have extra over ripe bananas lying around I make these with one less ingredient as a snack, without grated coconut, taste amazing like a kele mulik of sorts. You can add a pinch of cardamom too.

You can smash them using your hands or use a blender. 

Do not add water. Water formed on mixing jaggery with banana is enough to make fritters.