"Mochar Ghonto (Banana Blossom fry)" is an old age traditional Bengali recipe. This dish is prepared in various Bengali festivals including the auspicious occasions (vegetarian versions). This is one my favourite dish since childhood. Maa would prepare this dish quite often as we all love to eat it. The cleaning and prep part of the banana blossoms are quite tricky and time consuming, I can remember while Maa used to clean the banana blossoms, me and Bonu (my sister) always join with her. We three would sit on the floor and clean the banana blossoms together.
Maa used to cook various version of "Mochar Ghonto (Banana Blossom fry)". Sometimes she would make it pure vegetarian, sometimes she add fried prawn or bengal gram fritters to it. Today I am presenting you the vegetarian version of "Mochar Ghonto (Banana Blossom fry)"
Tips:
The cleaning and preparation of banana blossoms are quite tricky. It takes lot of time. So cut and soak the banana blossoms a day ahead. It will also remove the bitterness from the blossoms.
While boiling the banana blossoms, adding enough amount of lemon juice/ tamarind juice will cut the bitterness of the blossoms.
Bitter banana blossoms are not suitable for this dish. We need the one that yields sweet bananas after ripening.
This dish needs generous amount of oil, otherwise it will not taste the same.
There are other variations of this dish, you can add fried prawn or fried or bengal gram fritters for the variation.
Mochar Ghonto (Banana Blossom fry)
Preparation time: 60 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 big size banana blossom (400g after cleaning and cutting)
1 medium sized (100g) potato, cut into small cubes
1/4th cup (40g) brown chickpeas, soaked overnight
2 tbsp grated coconut (optional)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
4-5 slitted green chillies
2-3 dry red chillies
2-3 bay leaves
1-2 cloves
1 cinnamon sticks
2 cardamom pods
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
5 tbsp (50g) mustard oil
1/2 tbsp ghee
salt to taste
sugar to taste
1 tbsp grated coconut (optional, for garnishing)
Recipe:
To make the "Mochar Ghonto (Banana Blossom fry)" you have to prepare the banana blossom first. It is a little bit tricky and need an ample amount of time, but the end results will surely justify your effort.
How to clean and prep banana blossom flowers:
At beginning, oil your hand and the knife, otherwise the sticky gum from the banana blossom flower will ruin your hand.
Next, peel the purple layers and remove the florets and from each floret remove the longest and hardest string with the round head and the translucent cover. Then chop the florets finely.
Discard all the purple layers, until you almost reach at the core and the purple layers become whiteish. Now take that whole thing and chop them off very finely.
Soak all the chopped things in the water as soon you chopped them, otherwise it will turn black.
Now throughly rinse the chopped banana blossoms and again soaked them in water with a little bit of salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Keep them soaking (refrigerated) for over night. It will take out all the bitterness from the florets.
Next day, drain and discard all the water from the chopped florets.
Now transfer the chopped florets into a pressure cooker, add some water and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tbsp lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Pressure cook it for 2-3 whistles on a medium flame. Once cooled open the lid and check for it. It will be soft enough to chew but not mushy.
If the florets are hard yet, transfer it back to the cooker and give 1 or 2 more whistle. Alternatively you can do this whole process in a pan but it will take time.
When the florets become soft, take out them from the cooker. Strain and discard all the water. Give it a good squeeze to remove all the water from it.
Now mash the cooked floret lightly with the back of the spoon to give it a nice texture. Don't use blender. We need a pulpy mushy texture.
Now keep the prepared banana blossoms aside.
Boil the chickpeas with a pinch of salt and set aside.
In a small bowl add ginger paste, 1 tsp turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, a pinch of salt, sugar and a little bit of water. Mix it well and keep aside.
Now add the oil in the deep bottomed pan and heat over medium temperature. When the oil starts to smoke lightly add the whole cumin seeds, dry red chillies, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom for tempering. Fry them for couple of seconds.
Next, add the cubed potato and fry them for 5-6 minutes over medium low heat until they turn golden from all the sides.
Now add the grated coconut and fry them for 1-2 minutes. Don't over do otherwise the coconut will burn and give a bitter taste to the dish.
Next, add the spice paste to the pan and cook them for 5-6 minutes over low flame until all the raw smells from spices are gone and oil starts to seep out from the side of the pan. If the spice paste start to stick at the bottom of the pan, splash some water and mix it well.
Add the boiled chickpeas to it and fry for 1-2 minutes. stir well to mix all the things.
Next add the cooked and mashed banana blossom florets to the pan along with the slitted green chillies. Cook for 15-20 minutes, covered on medium low heat until most of the water from the florets dry out and all the things are well combined. Stir in between.
Check for seasoning, add salt and sugar accordingly.
Now add the ghee and garam masala to the pan. stir well, turn off the heat and keep the pan covered for at least 5 minutes to soak up all the aroma to the dish.
Garnish with some freshly grated coconut on top and serve with hot steamed rice.
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