Mochar Torkari/Banana Flower vegetable
I often wonder is there any shrub, herb or part of plant that we Bengalis throw away. The answer is a big fat no.
I have seen my grandmother cooking karela leaves, harsingar leaves, neem leaves, pea shesll, all kinds of green leafy plants.
The plant that is used most completely is the banana plant. The fruit, of course, everyone eats. We also enjoy the stem and the flower. The leaves are used to wrap fish and steam them.
Banana flower is an amazingly nutritious thing. I looked up the actual health benefits and was amazed to see the possibilities. The banana flower is rich in vitamins, flavonoids and proteins. The banana flower has antioxidant properties too.
Keeping all these health benefits aside Mocha or banana flower is a favourite dish of mine. There are many ways to cook it. However it takes time, effort and patience to do so. And I am a lazy bum.
So when I come over to my mom I pester her to cook it for me. She takes time out of her busy schedule to do so. So this recipe is from my mom’s kitchen. All I did was make demands, click pics, appreciate a lot and then polish off the plate.
Here goes the method and the recipe.
Ingredients
1 banana flower
2 small potatoes, cubed
1 large tomato, cubed
½” ginger, minced
1 bay leaf
2 green cardamoms
1 “ cinnamon
2 dry red chiilies
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp ghee
Salt to taste
Knowing how to take out the flowers is the main trick here. The big banana flower has leaves that enclose the flowers.
First peel away those big leaves and take out the little flowers. Now the whole flower is not to be consumed.
There are two parts you have to take out. One is a big curved flap at the bottom. Other is the stamen or large long stick kind of thing.
Once you take these two things out chop the flowers real fine. The innermost portion of the big flower doesn’t develop these flaps.
So you keep it intact and chop finely.
Now these need to be kept immersed in water overnight to take away its bitterness.
Next morning drain and squeeze out the chopped pieces. Putin a pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles.
Heat some ghee. Add the bay leaf, green cardamoms, cinnamon and dry red chilly.
Add the chopped potatoes and fry for some time. Add the chopped tomato and minced ginger. Cover and cook till the tomato is mushy.
Add the cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and salt. Fry till the oil separates.
Now squeeze and add the chopped steamed banana flower. Saute on high heat for some time. Lower heat, cover and cook till done. You don’t have to add water as the flower will already have water. Finish off with a dollop of ghee.
I often wonder is there any shrub, herb or part of plant that we Bengalis throw away. The answer is a big fat no.
I have seen my grandmother cooking karela leaves, harsingar leaves, neem leaves, pea shesll, all kinds of green leafy plants.
The plant that is used most completely is the banana plant. The fruit, of course, everyone eats. We also enjoy the stem and the flower. The leaves are used to wrap fish and steam them.
Banana flower is an amazingly nutritious thing. I looked up the actual health benefits and was amazed to see the possibilities. The banana flower is rich in vitamins, flavonoids and proteins. The banana flower has antioxidant properties too.
Keeping all these health benefits aside Mocha or banana flower is a favourite dish of mine. There are many ways to cook it. However it takes time, effort and patience to do so. And I am a lazy bum.
So when I come over to my mom I pester her to cook it for me. She takes time out of her busy schedule to do so. So this recipe is from my mom’s kitchen. All I did was make demands, click pics, appreciate a lot and then polish off the plate.
Here goes the method and the recipe.
Ingredients
1 banana flower
2 small potatoes, cubed
1 large tomato, cubed
½” ginger, minced
1 bay leaf
2 green cardamoms
1 “ cinnamon
2 dry red chiilies
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp ghee
Salt to taste
Knowing how to take out the flowers is the main trick here. The big banana flower has leaves that enclose the flowers.
First peel away those big leaves and take out the little flowers. Now the whole flower is not to be consumed.
There are two parts you have to take out. One is a big curved flap at the bottom. Other is the stamen or large long stick kind of thing.
Once you take these two things out chop the flowers real fine. The innermost portion of the big flower doesn’t develop these flaps.
So you keep it intact and chop finely.
Now these need to be kept immersed in water overnight to take away its bitterness.
Next morning drain and squeeze out the chopped pieces. Putin a pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles.
Heat some ghee. Add the bay leaf, green cardamoms, cinnamon and dry red chilly.
Add the chopped potatoes and fry for some time. Add the chopped tomato and minced ginger. Cover and cook till the tomato is mushy.
Add the cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and salt. Fry till the oil separates.
Now squeeze and add the chopped steamed banana flower. Saute on high heat for some time. Lower heat, cover and cook till done. You don’t have to add water as the flower will already have water. Finish off with a dollop of ghee.
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