Recipe: Mochar Ghonto Niramish

The vegetarian version of Banana Blossom Curry is a traditional Bengali dish. The use of grated coconut is the game changer here in this dish.

Bong Eats

1. Take the whole mocha / banana blossom (weight before cleaning is 550 gms) and remove outer bracts and collect the flower clusters. repeat for each layer.

2. Discard the outer bracts and keep the flower cluster. the inner layers are packed tight and difficult to peel but keep get going.

3. Oil your hands to prevent from getting sticky. take each floret and discard the calyx (scaly and translucent covering) and pistil (thick stalk with sticky, bulbous head).

4. Chop evenly 5 mm apart. transfer to a pressure cooker. boil with 10 gms salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. add 650 gms water. pressure cook for 1 whistle. let the pressure release naturally.

5. Allow to strain and cool for 30 minutes. once cool, mash boiled mocha to get a good mushy and crunchy texture.

6. In a kadai, add 25 gms mustard oil. then temper with 2 dried red chillies, 2 bay leaves, 1 green cardamom, 1 clove, 1 inch cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, then add 100 gms diced potatoes. fry potatoes until golden. add 20 gms grated coconut. give it a good mix.

7. In a small bowl, make a paste of 20 gms ginger paste, 2 gms cumin powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp red chilli powder, 50 gms water. mix and keep aside.

8. Add this to the kadai. also add remaining 10 gms salt, 18 gms sugar. mix well. add 2 slit green chillies, a splash of water. saute until raw smell of spices go away.

9. Add the soaked chhola / whole bengal gram. cook the chhola with spices for 3-4 minutes.

10. Now add the cooked mocha / banana blossom. cover and cook on low heat for 6 minutes. add 2 more slit green chillies.

11. Next add 30 gms of dal'er bora. cook for just 3-4 minutes after adding dal'er bora, else they will become sogggy.

12. Add 8 gms ghee, 1/4 tsp bengali garam masala powder. cook on low heat for 2 minutes.

13. Mochar ghonto niramish is ready to serve.

Notes

1. Weight after cleaning mocha / banana blossom is 300 – 350 gms.

2. All measurements mentioned above are according to 300 gms mocha / banana blossom.