Kochur Loti (Taro Stems Curry - Bong style)

 

            This a traditional Bong style recipe of Taro stems cooked in a vegetarian version. I added some boiled chickpeas and roasted peanuts. You may also add some grated coconut or small pieces of fried coconut too. It is a very yummy recipe and it can be prepared in a non-veg. form too, with either prawns, any small variety fish or fish head. 

          Very few ingredients are required for this recipe. Drizzle the final product with some raw mustard oil and enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great Sunday lunch. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy. 

          It is a lost recipe, prepared only in few Bengali homes and not much found in restaurants. However, in rural areas it is commonly prepared as these taro stems are seen grown in abundance near ponds and lakes.

          This dish is considered to be a delicacy on a Bengali menu platter In this veg. version, you can also add bori (dried lentil dumplings) in the veg. version too. It tastes equally yummy.

• 300 gms. Kochur Loti (Taro Stems)
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 3 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/3 cup boiled chickpeas
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp. mustard seeds

          Peel & chop the taro stems into 2" long. Wash them thoroughly 2-3 times. Grind the mustard seeds into a paste along with 1 green chili and 1/4 cup water. Keep aside. 

          Then in a pan, bring sufficient water to a boil along with a pinch of salt, turmeric and lime juice. 

          Add the chopped taro stem and boil, covered, for 4-5 minutes. It should be al dente. Drain well and keep aside.  

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and temper with nigella seeds and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the onion, garlic, green chilies, turmeric powder and cumin powder. Sauté till light brown. 

          Then add the boiled taro stems, salt to taste, boiled chickpeas and roasted peanuts. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring once in between.

          Add the mustard paste. Mix well and cook, covered, for 1-2 minutes. 

         Add the remaining 1 tbsp. mustard oil and give it a mix. Enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal.

Note - 

          These Taro stems sometimes have a tendency of generating itchiness in the throat. So to avoid it, be sure to add lime juice, vinegar or some tamarind water while boiling it. 

          

                           Take 350 gms. of Kochu Loti (Taro Stems).

  Peel & chop the taro stems into 2" long. Wash them thoroughly 2-3 times.

Then in a pan, bring sufficient water to a boil along with a pinch of salt, turmeric & lime juice. Add the chopped taro stem.

                 Boil, covered, for 4-5 minutes. 

                    Drain well & keep aside.  

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan & temper with nigella seeds & dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

Now add the onion, garlic, green chilies, turmeric powder & cumin powder. 

                      Sauté till light brown. 

Then add the boiled taro stems, salt to taste, boiled chickpeas & roasted peanuts. Cover & cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring once in between.

        Add the mustard paste. Mix well & cook, covered, for 1-2 minutes. 

                 Add the remaining 1 tbsp. mustard oil & give it a mix.

                     Now your Kochur Loti is done. 

Enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal. 

Ilish Macher Matha diye Kochur Loti (Hilsa Fish Head & Taro Stems Curry - Bong style)

          This a traditional Bong style recipe of Taro stems cooked with Hilsa fish head. It is a very yummy recipe that can be prepared both in the veg. and non-veg. form. This is the latter version where I cooked these Taro / Colocasia stems with Hilsa fish head. 

          Very few ingredients are required for this recipe. Drizzle the final product with some raw mustard oil and enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great Sunday lunch. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy. 

          It is a lost recipe, prepared only in few Bengali homes and not much found in restaurants. However, in rural areas it is commonly prepared as these taro stems are seen grown in abundance near ponds and lakes.

          This dish is considered to be a delicacy on the Bengali menu platter. Apart from Hilsa fish head, even Rohu fish head, prawns or any other small variety of fish can be added. 

          In the veg. version, you can make use of bori (dried lentil dumplings), grated / small pieces of fried coconut or boiled black chickpeas. It tastes equally yummy.

• 3 cups of Kochur Loti (Taro Stems), peeled & chopped into 2" long
• 1 Hilsa Fish Head
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 3 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 3-4 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder

          Wash the chopped Kochur Loti thoroughly. Then pressure cook them in sufficient water along with a pinch of salt, turmeric and lime juice for 1 whistle. Drain and keep aside. 

          Marinate the fish head with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 5 minutes.

          Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a pan / kadai and fry the fish head till golden in colour. Simultaneously, keep breaking it into few pieces. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with nigella seeds and slit green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the boiled taro stems and all the dry spices. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

          Add the fried head pieces and mix well. Then add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook till all the moisture has been absorbed. 

          Switch off the flame and drizzle the remaining 1 tsp. oil. Enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal.

Note - 

          These Taro stems sometimes have a tendency of generating itchiness in the throat. So to avoid it, be sure to add the lime juice or some tamarind water while pressure cooking / or boiling it. 

          Alternately, you can also boil it in a saucepan with required quantity of water on a stove top for 2-3 minutes. 

                                   The peeled & chopped Kochur Loti. 

                       Pressure cook in sufficient water along with a pinch of salt, turmeric

                       and lime juice for 1 whistle. Drain and keep aside. 

                       

                        Heat 3 tbsp. oil & fry the marinated fish head till golden in colour. 

                      Simultaneously, keep breaking it into few pieces. Drain & keep aside.

                           Temper the same oil with nigella seeds & slit green chilies. Sauté 

                           for a few seconds. 

                        Add the boiled taro stems & all the dry spices. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

 

                                  Add the fried head pieces and mix well.

                    Add 1/2 cup water. Cover & cook till all the moisture has been absorbed. 

                                 Switch off the flame and drizzle the remaining 1 tsp. oil. 

                                 Enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal.