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Indian

Faraa (steamed rice-flour dumplings)

Vegetarian

फरा · pharā

Finger-shaped dumplings of rice flour and leftover cooked rice, steamed until glossy and then tossed in a tempering of mustard seeds, sesame, curry leaves and green chilli. A thrifty breakfast and snack of Chhattisgarh.

Faraa (steamed rice-flour dumplings) is an Indian dumpling dish, ready in about 55 minutes and made with long-grain white rice and rice flour. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
25 min
Cook
30 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
308

Ingredients

4 servings

For the dough

For the tempering

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Cook the rice in the water until very soft, then cool. (Skip this if using leftover rice.)

    Food safety: Cooked rice can carry Bacillus cereus spores that survive cooking; cool leftover rice quickly and refrigerate it within an hour.

  2. Step 2

    Mash the cooked rice well with your hand, then mix in the rice flour (opens in a new tab) and salt. Add warm water a little at a time and knead to a soft, smooth dough that does not crack.

    Potatoes being mashed
    How it looks · Photo: Mateusz Feliksik on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    With oiled hands, roll walnut-sized pieces of dough between your palms into fingers about 6–7 cm long, tapered at the ends.

    • 10 min

  4. Step 4

    Arrange on an oiled steamer (opens in a new tab) plate in a single layer and steam over boiling water for 10–12 minutes, until glossy and firm. Leave to cool for a few minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Heat the oil and pop the mustard seeds (opens in a new tab). Add the cumin (opens in a new tab), sesame (opens in a new tab), curry leaves (opens in a new tab), green chillies and garlic (opens in a new tab) and fry for 30 seconds, then add the faraa and toss over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until lightly crisp in places. Scatter over the coriander.

    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Chhattisgarh, India · Commonly attributedSimilar steamed rice dumplings (phara) are also made in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, sometimes stuffed with dal.More food from India
Dish
Breakfast · Snack · Dumplings · Finger food
Cooking method
Steamed, Stir-fried
Taste
savoury, nutty, mild
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Budget-friendly · Uses leftovers · Everyday
Cook more with
Long-grain white rice · Rice flour · Mustard seeds · Cumin · Sesame seeds · Curry leaves
Techniques
Stir-frying · Boiling · Steaming · Kneading

Allergens

  • Contains: Sesamefrom sesame seeds
  • Contains: Mustardfrom mustard seeds

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

308 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 157 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 6%
  • Carbohydrate 67%
  • Fat 27%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy308 kcal196 kcal
Protein4.7 g3 g
Carbohydrate51.2 g32.7 g
Net carbohydrate49.5 g31.6 g
Sugars0.3 g0.2 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.7 g1.1 g
Fat9 g5.7 g
Saturated fat0.9 g0.6 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium441 mg281 mg
Salt equivalent1.1 g0.7 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
88 mg
Calcium
46 mg
Iron
1.8 mg
Magnesium
33 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
2 µg
Vitamin C
7 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
102 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: garlic, coriander leaves.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): curry leaves.
  • “—” 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

  • Faraa can be eaten straight from the steamer with chutney; the tempering is optional but common.

Common mistakes

  • Making the dough too wet — the faraa lose their shape and turn gummy in the steamer.

Serve with

  • Serve warm with tomato or coriander chutney and a cup of tea.

Food safety

  • Cooked rice can carry Bacillus cereus spores that survive cooking; cool leftover rice quickly and refrigerate it within an hour.

Storage

  • Steamed faraa keep 1 day refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Re-toss in a hot pan with a little oil until heated through.

Variations

  • Stuffed faraa: Rice dough wrapped around a spiced chana dal paste, like dal pitha, then steamed.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2

Reviews & corrections

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