Mochar Ghonto - Bengali Style Banana Flower Curry

After a short break I am again back to my favorite work. From last week I wanted to start blogging but could not, do not know why. Then decided to take photos first, That plan also failed. Suffering with  flu from last 10 days, without doing any work, gone mad. Any way feeling much better now.

This time going to start my recipes with BM recipes. This month my BM theme for the first week is Dishes from West Bengal. Bengali cuisine has its wide range of vegetarian recipes with the flavor of mustard oil and panch phoran seasoning. And also with a little sweet taste. In those aromatic vegetarian recipes Mochar Ghonto is one aromatic and delicious curry made with banana flower. Mochar means Banana flower and Ghonto is a dry curry made with finely chopped vegetables like cabbage, potatoes, banana flower, coconut and some dals or lentils like chick peas. This will be a side dish for plain steamed rice, but I liked it with chapati and puri also. Mochar Ghonto is one of the favorite among vegetarians on the other side Muri ghonto which is made with fish head is very popular in non-vegetarian recipes. Now we are not going to do any thing with Muri Ghonto, lets check how to make Mochar Ghonto.

INGREDIENTS:---

Mochar(Banana flower) --- 1 medium
Potato  ----   1 big, peal and cut in to small cubes
Black chana  --- 1/4 cup soaked for over night and boiled
Ginger paste  --- 1 tea sp (you can use grated ginger also)
Green chilli paste  -- 1 tea sp or 2 chillies slit
Fresh Grated coconut  ---- 1/2 cup
Garam masala powder  --- 1 tea sp
Turmeric powder  --- 1/2 tea sp
Salt    ---- 1/2 tea sp
Sugar   --- 1 tea sp
Red chilli powder  --- 1/4 tea sp
Coriander powder  --- 1/4 tea sp
Cumin powder   ---- 1/4 tea sp
Bay leaves --- 2
Cumin seeds  ---- 1/4 tea sp
Oil   --- 2 tab sp
Ghee  -- 2 tab sp
METHOD:---
1. Remove the red leaves and take out the yellow floret, discard the stem and small petal in side.
2. Chop the yellow flower and soak in turmeric water for 1 hour.
3. Strain the turmeric water, add 1 cup water and little salt to choped banana flower and cook till done. This will take 10 minutes time to cook.
4. Switch off the heat and strain the water and sqeeze all the water and set a side.
5. Now heat oil (if you like to use mustard oil, first heat oil till smoking stage switch off the heat let it cool and then again heat then add tempering this helps to reduce the raw smell from the mustard oil.)
6. Heat oil add cumin seeds, bayleaves fry for a while then add potato cubes sprinkle a pinch salt stir for 2 minutes.
7. Sprinkle 1/4 cup water cover and cook in a medium heat till potatoes are done.
8. Now add cooked banana flower, boiled chana, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, ginger paste, green chillies, sugar give a good stir adjust salt, add 1/2 cup water cover and cook in a medium heat till the moisture dried up, keep string in between.
9. Add grated coconut stir and cook for 2 more minutes.
10. In the end sprinkle garam masala on top close with lid, switch off the heat leave it like that for five minutes then open and mix well to combine every thing, pour 2 tab sps of ghee on top.
Serve hot with steamed rice or chapathi.
Lets check the Blogging Marathon page for other recipes