Dhonepata bata (Bengali coriander paste)
Vegetarian
ধনেপাতা বাটা · dhonepātā bāṭā
Coriander leaves ground with green chilli, garlic and salt and loosened with raw mustard oil. Pungent, grassy and hot, a bata is a thick paste eaten in small amounts with the first mouthfuls of rice in a Bengali meal.
Dhonepata bata (Bengali coriander paste) is a Bengali condiment from India, ready in about 10 minutes and made with coriander leaves and mustard oil. It serves 6 and is rated beginner to cook.
No licensed photograph of this dish yet.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 10 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Beginner
- Calories
- 18
Method
Step 1
Wash the coriander in several changes of water, shake dry and chop roughly; keep the tender stems for flavour.
How it looks · Photo: RDNE Stock project on Pexels Step 2
Grind the green chillies, garlic (opens in a new tab), salt and sugar (opens in a new tab) first, then add the coriander and grind to a thick, fairly smooth paste. On a sil-nora this needs no water; in a blender (opens in a new tab), add water a teaspoon at a time only if the blades stall.
How it looks · Photo: https://kaboompics.com/ on Pexels Step 3
Stir in the raw mustard oil (opens in a new tab) and lime juice (opens in a new tab). Taste: it should be pungent, hot and salty. Serve in small mounds beside rice.
- 1 min
About this dish
- Origin
- West Bengal and Bangladesh, West Bengal, India · Commonly attributedBatas (ground pastes) are a traditional Bengali category, made on the sil-nora grinding stone. Garlic and lime vary by family; this follows common home versions.Also popular in BangladeshMore food from India
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Condiments, chutneys & relishes
- Cooking method
- Blended, Raw
- Taste
- herby, spicy (chilli heat), fresh, garlicky
- Diet
- Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carbWithout the optional extras: Whole-food focused, Paleo-style, No added sugarWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Vegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · DASH-style - Good for
- Everyday · Budget-friendly
- Cook more with
- Coriander leaves · Mustard oil · Green chilli
- Techniques
- Wet grinding · Emulsification
Allergens
- Contains, can be adapted: Mustardfrom mustard oil
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
18 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 22 g · recipe makes 6
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 9%
- Carbohydrate 15%
- Fat 77%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 18 kcal | 82 kcal |
| Protein | 0.4 g | 1.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0.7 g | 3.3 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 0.2 g | 1 g |
| Sugars | — | — |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 0.5 g | 2.2 g |
| Fat | 1.6 g | 7.5 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.2 g | 0.8 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | — | — |
| Sodium | 202 mg | 930 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 0.5 g | 2.3 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 90 mg
- Calcium
- 11 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 5 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 57 µg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin D
- —
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 11 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- Optional ingredients are not included: garlic, sugar, lime juice, water.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Winter coriander is the most fragrant; that is when Bengali homes make batas most often.
- A bata should be thick enough to hold a shape; this is not a dipping chutney.
Common mistakes
- Adding too much water, which makes a sauce rather than a bata.
- Heating the mustard oil — the raw pungency is what gives the bata its kick.
Serve with
- Eat a little with plain rice at the start of a meal, before dal and fish.
- Serve with khichuri, or spread inside a roll of luchi with alu bhaja.
Food safety
- Herbs carry soil; wash them in several changes of water, especially for chutneys that are not cooked.
Storage
- Best the same day; keeps 1–2 days in the fridge.
Variations
- Dhonepata-tomato bata: Grind in a small roasted tomato for a tangy, looser bata.
- Narkel dhonepata bata: Add 30 g grated coconut for a milder, creamier paste.
- Shorshe dhonepata bata: Grind in 1 tbsp soaked mustard seeds for extra heat.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Goes with
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.
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