Every monsoon, a familiar leafy bunch appears in the neighbourhood markets – paat shaak, or jute leaves. Most people know jute as a fibre, but the tender leaves are a delicacy in Bengali homes. The leaves become slippery and slimy when cooked into a jhol, but they take on a magical quality when turned into fritters. That’s when paat shaak’er bora makes its grand seasonal entry.
These leaves are usually available from early June to September. The younger, smaller leaves are best for the light, soupy paat pata’r jhol (stew). We often temper it with bori and mustard paste. But the larger, sturdier ones? They are perfect for a bora or a fritter. The leaves are held together in little bunches and deep-fried in a spiced batter until golden and crisp.
paat shaak’er bora (4)
Brishti’s Green Dilemma and Tugga’s Crunch Test
At home, paat shaak’er bora sparks its own kind of debate. Tugga, our in-house crunch master, gives it a thumbs up every single time. The chewiness of the leaf wrapped in a crunchy coat works for him. Brishti, on the other hand, is currently on a strict no-green policy. Unless the green is deep-fried, salted, and comes without the baggage of being ‘healthy.’ This one passes. She’s willing to try a piece—provided the crust is just right.
paat shaak’er bora
Texture Is Everything
The texture of these fritters depends largely on the batter. I’ve tried variations over the years—besan, maida, even a touch of cornflour. But this one is my current favourite. It strikes the balance between airy and crispy.
I start by washing the jute leaves thoroughly and making small bunches of 4–5 leaves. The batter is a mix of rice flour, maida and semolina. Add turmeric, red chili powder, salt to taste, and just a pinch of sugar. The batter should be thick but still pourable—runny enough to coat and cling.
When the oil is hot, I pour in a tablespoon of that oil into the batter, mix it again, and do a test fry. If the fritter isn’t crunchy enough, I either up the rice flour or loosen the batter slightly. That crisp, shattery texture is non-negotiable.
paat shaak’er bora (5)
Why It Works
Unlike palak or spinach, paat shaak doesn’t have a pronounced flavour. It’s subtle, slightly earthy, with a fibrous texture that turns beautifully chewy when fried. In a jhol, it tends to get a little slippery, but in a bora, the transformation is almost theatrical. There’s something about biting into a hot paat shaak’er bora with steamed rice and mushurir dal on the side.
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Paat Shaak'er Bora
Ingredients
Method
- Wash the jute leaves thoroughly under running water to remove any grit or dirt. Pat dry using a kitchen towel.
- Select the larger leaves for fritter. Group them into small bunches of 4–5 leaves each.
- Set aside the smaller leaves to use in a paat shaak’er jhol (light soupy curry).
- In a mixing bowl, add rice flour, maida, and sooji.
- Stir in turmeric, red chili powder, salt, and a pinch of sugar.
- Gradually add water and whisk to form a thick but runny batter, the kind that clings to the leaves without being too heavy.
- Heat your frying oil in a kadhai.
- Once hot, add 1 tbsp of that hot oil into the batter and whisk again. This helps the batter become more crisp when fried.
- Dip a small leaf or a piece of a leaf bunch in the batter.
- Fry and test for crispiness. If the fritter isn’t crunchy, you can add a little more rice flour for extra crispiness. Or thin the batter slightly with water, which helps it spread thin and crisp up better.
- Dip each leaf bunch into the batter, hold it up to allow excess batter to drip off.
- Gently slide into the hot oil. Fry on medium-high heat until golden brown and crisp on both sides.
- Don’t overcrowd the kadhai, fry in batches if needed.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the fritters and drain them on paper towels.
- Serve hot with steamed rice and mushurir dal, or enjoy as a monsoon snack with a cup of tea.
Pikturenama is a blog about our travel and food escapades along with stories to share through photography. 
