Thor diye Muger Dal (Banana Stem & split Moong Dal Curry - Bong Style)

          Thor / Banana stem is an amazing veggie, comprising of many essential nutrients. Many delicious recipes can be dished out of it. So here is a lentil curry of roasted moong dal (split green gram) combined with banana stem. This is an absolutely simple homemade recipe, without onion, garlic and too many spices. Light on the stomach, it is enjoyed with either steamed rice or chapattis.

• 5-6" Banana Stem, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup dry roasted moong dal (split Green gram)
• 1-2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. ginger grated
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. ghee

         Pressure cook the dal and banana stem in 2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, red chilies, cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the ginger and fry for a few seconds more. Add the boiled dal, salt and turmeric powder. Mix well and simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. 

         When done, add ghee and give it a stir. Serve either with steamed rice or chapattis.

Thor Muri Ghonto (Banana Stem cooked with Rice - Bengali Cuisine)

          'Thor' in the Bengali lingo or 'Banana Stem' is a wonderful veggie which has a lot of essential nutrients, health benefits and is good for weight loss and in lowering high blood pressure. It is also popular in the southern regions. This stem can be turned into various delicious recipes.

          So here comes 'Thor Muri Ghonto', which means Banana Stem cooked with Rice. This Muri Ghonto recipe is usually prepared with Fish Head and some Rice. However, I thought why not apply the same rule in making with Banana Stem. So I substituted fish head with banana stem and it turned out very yummy. 

          I gave a tempering of bay leaf, cumin seeds and whole garam masalas and cooked with cashew paste, milk and other spices for a creamy texture. The medium of cooking was of course mustard oil and I finished it off with some garam masala and ghee to enhance the flavor. It is best relished as a side dish with steamed rice, chapattis or  parathas. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 Thor (Banana stem), around 8" long
• 1 potato, cubed
• 2 tbsp. Basmati rice, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 tsp. ghee
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 2 tbsp. cashew nut paste
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder

          Cut the stem into round slices and remove the fibre that comes with it. Chop into thin strips & immerse in turmeric water as you cut. 

          Pressure cook with enough water for 1-2 whistles. Drain or squeeze out all the water. Keep aside.

          Heat the oil and ghee. Fry the potatoes till light brown. Drain and keep aside. Temper the same oil with cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion and fry till light brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste. turmeric powder and coriander-cumin powder mixed with some water to form a paste. Sauté till the oil separates. 

          Add the soaked & drained rice and fry for a minute. Then add the drained / squeezed Thor (Banana stem), cashew paste, fried potatoes, green chilies, 1 cup water, 1 cup milk and salt to taste.

          Mix well. Cover and simmer on low flame till the moisture has dried, the potatoes and the rice are cooked. 

          Add the garam masala powder and remaining 1 tsp. ghee and mix properly. Leave it covered for 2-3 minutes and then serve with rice or chapattis.

                                    Remove outer part of the stem & cut into thin slices, 
                                    discarding the fibres.

                                             Chop into thin strips.

                   Immerse in water with a pinch of turmeric powder. Pressure cook for 
                   1-2 whistles. Drain & squeeze out the water.

                              Heat oil & ghee & sauté potatoes till light brown. Keep aside.

                     Temper same oil with bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & cumin
                     seeds.
                          
          

                                  Add onions & sauté till light brown.

                    Add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder & coriander-cumin powder mixed 
                     with some water. Sauté till oil separates.

                              Add soaked & drained rice & mix well. Sauté for 1-2  minutes.

                        Add fried potatoes, drained Thor, salt, cashew paste & green chilies.

                    Add 1 cup water & 1 cup milk. Cover & simmer till potatoes & rice are
                    soft & cooked.

                       When done, add garam masala & ghee. Mix well & serve either with
                       rice or chapattis.

Thor Chechki (Plantain Stem Stir Fry - Bengali Style)

          Banana stem or Thor in the Bengali lingo has a lot of nutritional benefits. It contains fibre, potassium and vitamin B6. Besides, it aids in weight loss and improving high blood pressure. 

          So here is a simple Banana Stem stir fry known as 'Thor Chechki'. It is a dry recipe, usually prepared with fresh grated coconut and other seasonings. Vadi / dried lentil dumplings or boiled black chickpeas may be added if preferred. The vadis can be deep fried, crushed and added to the end product too.

          In this recipe. I added some kasundi for some mustardy flavour. In the absence of it, you can go ahead and add homemade mustard paste. To enhance the flavour a bit more, I sprinkled some roasted and ground panch phoron powder. Enjoy it as a side dish with either chapattis or plain steamed rice-dal combo. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

            The cleaning of the Thor (Banana Stem), seems to be a tedious affair, but I realized it is much more easier than cleaning Mocha (Banana Blossom). Discard the outer part of the stem and the inner core part is edible. 

          Cut into thin slices and discard the fibrous part of the stem. Then cut them into thin slices and immediately soak it in water to avoid discoloring. Now it is ready to be prepared into your favourite stir fry dish.

• 1 small plantain stem, chopped, cut into thin slices & immersed in water.
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 1 tbsp. grated ginger
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 2 tbsp. kasundi / mustard paste
• 1 tsp. roasted panch phorin powder (equal quantities of mustard, fennel, fenugreek, cumin & nigella seeds)

         Keep the chopped stem immersed in water with a pinch of turmeric powder to avoid it getting dark in color.

          Rinse well and pressure cook in required quantity of water for 2 whistles. Drain and keep aside.

         Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chilies and mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the coconut and ginger. Sauté till it changes to light brown.

          Add the boiled plantain stem, nicely squeezed of all the water, salt, turmeric powder and green chilies.

          Sauté on a medium flame for 3-4 minutes. Then add the kasundi and continue to fry for another minute.

          When done, add the panch phoron powder and mix well. Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

                                   Remove outer covering of the stem & then slice into roundels.

                                                      Cut into thin strips.

                                                    Immerse in water to avoid discoloring.

                                            Boil and drain.

                                          Dry roast panch phoron. When cool, grind them.

                                    Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds & dry red chilies.

                                           Add coconut & ginger. Saute till light brown.

                                    Add boiled Thor, salt, turmeric powder & green chilies.

                                         Add kasundi & mix well. Sauté for a minute or so.

                                   When done, add panch phoron powder & give it a mix.

                                         Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

Thor Chingri Ghonto (Banana Stem cooked with Prawns - Bengali style)

          This is a traditional Bengali homemade recipe of Banana stem cooked with prawns and potatoes. For the veggie version, prawns can be simply omitted. Potato too is optional. It can be cooked with the whole garam masala, fresh grated coconut, boiled chickpeas and all the usual spices. 
         
          In whatever way it is cooked, it tastes simply delicious. It can be relished with plain steamed rice or with chapattis. The addition of garam masala powder and ghee to the end product enhances the flavour. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          Thor as it is known in the Bengali lingo or the Banana stem has numerous health benefits. It contains fibre, potassium and vitamin B6. Besides it is good for weight loss and improving high blood pressure. 
          
           Banana stem is very popular in the South India too where the ingredients differ. Hence, there are many version to it. In the Bengali style too, it can be prepared in a curry form called Ghonto or as a stir fry called Chechki. 

• 1 Thor (Banana Stem), chopped & soaked in water
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 potato, cubed
• 1/2 cup prawns
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1" ginger, grated 
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee (clarified butter)
• sliced ginger julienne, green chilies and fresh grated coconut to garnish (opt)

          Marinate the prawns with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes. Mix together ginger, green chilies, cumin powder and turmeric powder along with some water to form a paste. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the potatoes till light golden colour. Drain and keep aside. In the same oil, fry the prawns till they changes colour. Drain and keep aside. 

          Temper the same oil with mustard seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Sauté till the mustard stops spluttering.

          Now add the coconut and fry for a few seconds till light golden in colour. Add the ginger paste and sauté till the oil separates.

          Add the chopped Banana stem and continue to sauté on med. heat till dry. Add the fried potatoes, fried prawns, salt and 1 1/2 cups water.

          Cover and simmer till dry and the potatoes and the stem are cooked and soft. Add the garam masala powder and ghee and give it a mix. Serve, garnished with sliced ginger julienne, green chilies and grated coconut.

                  Peel the outer part of a banana stem. Only core part of the stem is used. 
                  Cut into half & then into round slices. 

                  Simultaneously keep discarding the fibre while cutting them into roundels.
                  Then cut into small pieces & soak in water to avoid them turning black. 

                          Mix ginger, green chilies, turmeric powder & cumin powder along with
                          some water. keep aside.

                                  Heat oil & fry potatoes & prawns separately. keep aside.

                      Temper same oil with mustard seeds, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves,
                      & bay leaves.

                                 Add coconut & sauté for a few seconds till it is light golden.

                                   Add ginger paste & sauté till oil separates.

                                 Add banana stem & fry till it is dry.

                      Add fried potatoes, prawns, salt & water. Simmer till moisture dries 
                      up & everything is cooked & soft.

                      When done, add garam masala powder & ghee. Mix well & serve after 
                      garnishing it.