Banana Blossom / Flower has a lot of health benefits as it contains vitamins and minerals. So let me share a traditional and an authentic Bengali recipe called 'Mochar Ghonto', where the banana blossom/flower is cooked with potato, boiled chickpeas and coconut into a delicious curry. Please note this recipe is pure vegetarian and there is no use of any onion or garlic.
A lot of time goes into cleaning the blossom, but it definitely is worth every effort when you relish this exotic delicacy either with rice or chapati. Earlier it was a simple homemade curry, but in recent times it made its way into many Bengali restaurants, especially outside West Bengal. For the non-veg. version it is cooked with prawns / shrimps or fish head. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.
First I recommend you to put on disposable gloves as the iron content in them will discolour your nails & fingers. Then peel the layers of the banana blossom & remove the florets. Then from each floret discard a thick stamen from the centre & the outer cover. This is pretty time consuming so just be patient as the end result is really yummy.
Soak the chopped banana blossom in tamarind water for an hour. Drain and pressure cook in required quantity of water, salt and pinch of turmeric powder for 4-5 whistles. Drain the water, rinse and mash well. Keep aside.
Dry roast the coconut till golden in colour. Keep aside. Heat oil in a pan & temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, whole dry red chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.
Add the potatoes and stir fry till light brown. Add the ginger paste and all the dry spices (except garam masala powder) mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates.
Add the boiled banana blossom and green chilies. Sauté for 2-3 minutes and cook, covered on a low flame. Sprinkle water at intervals if needed.
When almost done, add the boiled chickpeas, sautéed coconut and flour paste. Mix everything well and cook for a further 2 minutes.
When done, add garam masala powder & ghee. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. Serve with hot steamed rice or chapattis.
First I recommend you put on disposable gloves as iron content in them
will discolor your nails & fingers. Then peel layers of the banana blossom
& remove the florets. Then from each floret discard a thick stamen from
the centre & the outer cover.
Soak chopped banana blossom in tamarind water for an hour. Drain
& pressure cook in required quantity of water, salt & pinch of turmeric
powder for 4-5 whistles.
Drain water, rinse & mash well. Keep aside.
Dry roast coconut till golden in colour. Keep aside.
Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, whole dry red chilies,
cinnamon, cardamoms & cloves.
Add potatoes & stir fry till light brown.
Add ginger paste & all dry spices (except garam masala powder) mixed
with some water. Saute till oil separates.
Add boiled banana blossom & green chilies. Sauté for 2- minutes.
Add some water & cook, covered on a low flame.
When almost done, add boiled chickpeas, sautéed coconut & flour paste.
Mix well & cook for a further 2 minutes.
When done, add garam masala powder & ghee. Give it a stir & switch
off the flame.
Serve with hot steamed rice or chapatis.
First I recommend you to put on disposable gloves as the iron content in them will discolour your nails & fingers. Then peel the layers of the banana blossom & remove the florets. Then from each floret discard a thick stamen from the centre & the outer cover. This is pretty time consuming so just be patient as the end result is really yummy.
- 1 medium size mocha / banana blossom, cleaned and chopped finely
- 1 potato, cubed
- 1/2 cup boiled white / black chana (chickpeas)
- 2-3 tbsp. grated fresh coconut
- 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 dry red chilies
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1" cinnamon
- 2-3 green cardamoms
- 4-5 cloves
- 1 tsp. ginger paste
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 tsp. red chili powder
- 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
- 1 tsp. sugar (opt)
- salt to taste
- 2 green chilies, slit
- 1 tsp. atta (whole wheat flour) mixed with 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp. ghee
Soak the chopped banana blossom in tamarind water for an hour. Drain and pressure cook in required quantity of water, salt and pinch of turmeric powder for 4-5 whistles. Drain the water, rinse and mash well. Keep aside.
Dry roast the coconut till golden in colour. Keep aside. Heat oil in a pan & temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, whole dry red chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.
Add the potatoes and stir fry till light brown. Add the ginger paste and all the dry spices (except garam masala powder) mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates.
Add the boiled banana blossom and green chilies. Sauté for 2-3 minutes and cook, covered on a low flame. Sprinkle water at intervals if needed.
When almost done, add the boiled chickpeas, sautéed coconut and flour paste. Mix everything well and cook for a further 2 minutes.
When done, add garam masala powder & ghee. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. Serve with hot steamed rice or chapattis.
First I recommend you put on disposable gloves as iron content in them
will discolor your nails & fingers. Then peel layers of the banana blossom
& remove the florets. Then from each floret discard a thick stamen from
the centre & the outer cover.
Soak chopped banana blossom in tamarind water for an hour. Drain
& pressure cook in required quantity of water, salt & pinch of turmeric
powder for 4-5 whistles.
Drain water, rinse & mash well. Keep aside.
Dry roast coconut till golden in colour. Keep aside.
Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, whole dry red chilies,
cinnamon, cardamoms & cloves.
Add potatoes & stir fry till light brown.
Add ginger paste & all dry spices (except garam masala powder) mixed
with some water. Saute till oil separates.
Add boiled banana blossom & green chilies. Sauté for 2- minutes.
Add some water & cook, covered on a low flame.
When almost done, add boiled chickpeas, sautéed coconut & flour paste.
Mix well & cook for a further 2 minutes.
When done, add garam masala powder & ghee. Give it a stir & switch
off the flame.
Serve with hot steamed rice or chapatis.
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