Mochar Ghonto (Dry Banana Blossom with coconut)

This year after almost 14 years I was in Santiniketan and became a part of Basantosav, one of the famous festivals of Santiniketan on Holi. To be honest, when my mother requested to visit Santiniketan, during this time, I was trying to avoid. I know it must sound very weird, but I never found Basantotosav interesting anymore. I never liked to accept the truth that I could not take part in the functions and I would be considered as a mere tourist. I never liked to enjoy Basantotosav without my friends. There was a time when I used to take part in each and every function of Basantotsav. Basantotsav was then an integral part of our life.  But this time, thanks to lil K who brought back the old memories and helped me to cherish them alive. When I reached Santiniketan the rehearsals were going on in full swinging. The Stage was getting constructed. All the more busy and festive scenario were seen all around.  I met the Lil K whom I wanted to see since she was born. After we stepped into Santiniketan, I hardly found her at home, rather she would be found engrossed watching the rehearsals of Chitrangada and other Basantotsav related functions. I used to get 3 hours break from my 10 months old's feeding hours. Within that break hours, I would rush to the rehearsals and invigorate those 3 hours to the fullest. Most of the time I felt an elated "I" inside me dancing with joy that rhythm often blurred my eyes in the form of tears. I started revisiting the memories that I locked inside me. The city life almost choked all the memories and I, too never wanted to dig them out. Again, thanks to Lil K whose spirited soul brought back my spirit again. Despite the huge crowd, despite all the restrictions that rudely forced me to accept, that I was not part of the Fest anymore, rather I was just a mere tourist who came to visit the Fest, I had fallen in love with Basantotsav again. And all the credit goes to lil K who infused the spirit of Santiniketan in her soul and enjoyed it from the core of her heart. The colour of Dol did emblazon my soul too.

Now let me come to the Mochar Ghonto recipe. Mochar Ghonto is a kind of dry dish made out of Banana Blossom. It is very common in a Bengali kitchen. I could still feel the taste the way my mamoni (My elder aunt) used to cook the dish. Till date that was the best ever Mocha Ghonto I have tasted so far. But I am pretty late to store the recipe from her. I had a distinct idea that she used to add a pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida in most of her dishes and Mochar Ghonto was no exception too. This recipe I have adapted from my mother. Ad I found my MIL also cooks in the same way. Enjoy the recipe here:

Mochar Ghonto

Ingredients:

Mocha (Banana Blossom) - 1 medium size

Potato - 1 medium size (optional)

Grated coconut - 3/4 cup

Whole Garam Masala - 2 each (Cardamon, Clove & Cinnamon)

Bay leave- 1-2

Oil - 2 tblspn

Ghee - 1/2 tspn

Turmaric Powder -  1/4 tspn

Salt and Sugar as taste

Method:

1. If you are using the whole mocha/banana blossom them you have to remove the blossoms after peeling away the outer leaves and clean. Then you have to take out a stem inside and chop finely. (See HERE how to peel a banana blossom)

2. Boil the chopped mocha for 15mnts adding little bit of salt and 1/4 tspn  turmeric powder.

3. Strain the excess water and reserve.

4. Cut the potato in cubes.

5. Take a Kadai and heat oil. Fry the cubed potatoes till they turn semi brown. Reserve them in bowl draining the excess oil. 

6. Now add the Whole Garam Masala and Bay leaves in the remaining oil. Once they start to splutter, add the boiled mocha. keep on frying for 5 minutes in a medium flame.

7. Add the coconut and the potatoes. Add salt and sugar as per taste. Then keep on sauteing till the texture become dry and you will get a nice flavour of cooked coconut. Add ghee and serve with rice.

Few more recipes with Banana Blossom:

Mocha Chingri (Non - Veg)

Mochar Paturi (Veg)

Mochar Phuler Bora( Banana Blossom Heart Fry)

Mochar Phuler Bora( Banana Blossom Heart Fry)

It is my sister who is very much fond of all Bengali cuisines. On the other hand I am always running away from it. I know being a Bengali it might sound obnoxious, but this is my honest citation. My taste bud only tickles when I am served continental foods with less spices and oil. I am talking about this attitude towards food when I was celebrating my state of celibacy. As everybody knows marriage does make life topsy turvy and compels to take a new birth again. My man is a true blue Bengali who hearts for all Bengali cuisines. So I have to introduce different types Bengali cuisines in my kitchen and started growing a likeness towards it after marriage. But at the same time hubby get introduced with all the foods that I used to love too. The recent scenario has surprisingly changes and we have a different story. Hubby wants more continental foods and me the delectable Bengali dishes. So now what we do we have Bengali dishes at the lunch time and at dinner time we have oriental/continental.  The most precious part is my daughter has also grown a likeness towards each kind of foods.

Mochar Phuler Bora/Banana Blossom Heart Fry this is one the tastiest fries that I have learnt from my sister. Now what is Mochar Phul or Banana Blossom Heart? It is the soft tender part inside the Mocha or Banana Blossom which can't be peeled any more but you have to chop it and add it in the curry. Many a times we discard the part or chop it and add it. But the best usage of it is to make fry out of it. Just try it and I bet you will surely fallen in love with it. So here is the recipe how you will make Mochar Phuler Bora (Banana Blossom Heart Fry).

Ingredients:

Mochar Phul/Banana Blossom Heart- cut half then each half in semi thin slice

Turmeric Powder- a pinch + 1/4 teaspoon

Besan/Gram Flour-  3/4 cup

Cumin Seeds- 1/4 tea spoon

Salt according to taste.

White Oil-  Enough for frying

Method:

1. Boil the Mocha r Phul /Banana Blossom Slices with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt for 15mnts.
2. Make a thick batter with the besan/gram flour adding water and all other ingredients. (Remember the batter should be thick, not like a dough but very little flowing)[Tips: Add a tea spoon oil to make it more crispier with the batter.]
3. Heat oil. Let it get quite hot. Then take each slice. Dunk in the batter and fry in a low flame till it turns brown.
4. Soak the excess oil in a tissue papper and the serve with hot rice and dal.

More recipes on Mocha/Banana Blossom:

1. Mocha Chingri / Banana Blossom with Prawns

2. Mochar Paturi (Steamed Banana Blossom wrapped in Banana Leaves)

Mochar Paturi (Steamed Banana Blossom wrapped in Banana Leaves)

To be honest I never knew about the existence of Mochar Paturi (Steamed Banana Blossom wrapped in Banana Leaves) unless and until one day somebody posted - "How to cook Mochar Paturi" in a famous FB group called Chef at Large. We Bengalis were called for, to help her with the recipe of Mocha Paturi. To my surprise there were many who were hearing it for the first time but there were many too who were well versed with the dish. I shared the basic Paturi recipe with it adding Mocha/Banana Blossom in it just on guess. And yes I found, those who shared the recipe were similar like what I thought. From that very day I was trying to target the dish and make it, but time proved to be too busy to me to enter in the kitchen to hit the dish. At last the day came when I successfully able to just the dish.

The web meaning of Paturi says:

"The Paturi is a Bhape (see above) that is cooked by means of wrapping the item to be steamed inside a banana leaf. Substituting other leaves or synthetic material (such as aluminum foil) for banana leaf does not do justice to the unique flavor required".  Source: HERE.

The basic  and most significant ingredients of the Paturi are the uses of the coconut and the mustard paste along with raw Mustard oil.  And of coarse the banana leaves that we use to wrap the Paturi. On top of it one can add Poppy Seeds, Chatu/Sattu etc. Ilish machher Paturi or Bhetki Machher Paturi are two most famous and traditional Paturi dishes of Bengali Cuisine.  In any celebrations and ceremonial parties the Paturies are common of all.

I was only aware of the Non-veg Paturis and prepared them many a times in my kitchen. This is for the first time I attempted for a Veg Paturi. The foodie part of my childhood is crystal clear to me and the fights I always had with my mom when she tried to feed me all healthy foods and veggies. Mocha/Banana Blossom for example was one of the most despite dishes I always avoided. My mom had to scratch her head to cook Mocha in different ways every time so that I could store the nutrition that Mocha provides. But every time I used to reject. And now I am cooking Mocha at my kitchen and liking it too…….

Those days are gone and my mom gets surprised when I tell her I cook this or that with Mocha or some other veggies which were once used to be my enemies. Now I am on the same shoe like my mother and trying new recipes every time so that  my daughter too eat the healthy foods. Days do pay back and who else than me can say better…:) After the success of Mocha Chingri, here I present another exotic dish form the Bengali Cuisine the Mocha Paturi.

Ingrdients:

Mocha/ Banana Blossom:  1 cup Finely chopped (See the notes)

Scraped Coconut: 1 cup

Mustard seeds : 4 tbspn

Poppy Seeds: 2 tbspn

Green Chilli: 1 or more

Salt and sugar according to taste.

Turmeric- 1/4 tspn + a pinch

Banana leaves cut in a  4"X4" square- 15- 20 pieces.

Mustard Oil- As per taste

Method:

1. Soak the Mustard seeds and the poppy seeds for 10-15mnts. Then make a paste adding pinch of turmeric, salt and a green chili in to it. Reserve.
2. Boil the chopped mocha/banana blossom with a pinch of salt and the remaining turmeric powder for 15-20 mnts. I pressured cook it and took off the gas after 4 whistles.
3. Now strain the boiled mocha/banana blossom and mash it with you palm as much you can.
4. Add all the other ingredients and mix them well.
5. To make the banana leaves pliable and to avoid the cracks in between put each square both sides top on the flame for 3-4secs. You will notice a mild change in colour and you will understand it is ready.
   
6. Take a scoop of the mixture, drizzle few drops of mustard oil on the top and wrap nicely and pin it with a toothpick. (Adding oil is optional you can add it later too.)
7. Steam for 10-15 mnts either in steamer or put the Paturis in a tiffin box (metal) / container with a lid. Take a big vessel than that container, boil water and put the container in it. The water should       not rise more than the half of the small container. Cover the vessel and cook.
8. Then serve hot with white rice and if you want you can add more mustard oil after the Paturis are done.

Note:

1. How to cut Mocha/Banana Blossom see HERE in the "Method" section.
2. Always use fresh Mocha/Banana Blossom for it.
3. If Banana Leaves are not available then you can use aluminium foil too.
4. If you want to make it with ready made mustard powder then add water very little and little bit of curd with it.

Mocha Chingri / Banana Blossom with Prawns

I never claim that I always cook the original dish rather my cooking style is always fusion oriented. Yes I love to experiment. I read a lot about food and how it was done. I talk about food with my mother, mother- in- law, friends, foodies et al. But when it comes to cook a dish in my kitchen, I cook it in my way according to my family's and my taste. And I always love to leave a sign of myself by giving a twist in that dish. And that becomes my signature special dish. Just Kidding. Like here the original Mocha Chingri is cooked with kucho chingri/Shrimps (as I heard from others), but here I used Bagda Chingri/Prawns. And it really comes out well. The part this dish I didn't like is the taste of the Mocha/Banana Blossom. I bought a peeled pack from the hyperlink market. But it was not that fresh and when it was cooked it took quite a long time to chew and munch and the jaws got strained. So remember to use a fresh one. Sometimes Mocha/Banana blossom tends to be found bitter too. So before buying one verify it. Now don't ask me how!!! I always go to the market and rely on the vendor like a blind one. Yea I know, I have a long way to go and to learn so many things.

If  you want to about the Nutritional value of Mocha/Banana Blossom, read here:

"Nutrition: Banana flowers, similarly to bananas are an excellent source of potassium, plus vitamin’s A, C and E. According to research at the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, which studied the flowers of musa paradisiaca, banana flowers have tremendous nutritional value, being a good source of fiber and protein. The flowers contain a class of phytochemicals known as saponins. Saponins lower LDL ,or bad cholesterol, boost our immunity against infection and are thought to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. They also have antioxidant activity and so can reduce our risk of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease. Banana flowers are also an excellent source of flavonoids. These phytochemicals found in many plant based foods help prevent damage to DNA cells by neutralizing free radicals. They also help lower cholesterol, are anti-inflammatory, anticancer and anti-aging."

Source:http://food-nutrition.knoji.com/banana-flowers-or-banana-blossom-culinary-uses-and-nutritional-value/

Ingredients:

Mocha (Banana Blossoms) - 1 Medium size/ 2cups (I used store bought ready to cook packet)

Bagda Chingri/Prawn- 11-12

Bayleaf - 1 medium

Whole Garam Masala- 1-2 (Cloves, Cardamom, Cinnamon)

Ginger  Paste- 1 tspn,

Cumin Powder - 1 tspn

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 + 1/2 tspn

Coriander Powder- 1tspn

Salt and Sugar as per taste...

Ghee - few drops

Oil - As per requirement

Method:

1. If you are using the whole mocha/banana blossom them you have to remove the blossoms after peeling away the outer leaves and clean. Then you have to take out a stem inside and chop finely. (See HERE how to peel a banana blossom)
2. Boil the chopped mocha for 15mnts adding little bit of salt and 1/4 tspn  turmeric powder.
3. Strain the excess water and reserve.
4. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a Kadai or in a pan. Fry the Prawns and keep it aside.
5. Heat  oil (if you have some extra oil left from the prawns use that by adding little bit more if required) in the same Kadai/Pan.  Add bay leaf and the garam masala.
6. Add the blossoms, mix well and fry for 2 minutes on medium heat.
7. Add ginger paste, turmeric powder and the cumin powder (dissolved in very small amount of water). Fry for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add the Prawns/chingri, salt, and sugar. Mix well and add in 1/4 cup of water. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until most water dried out.  Add few drops of ghee and serve hot with rice.

Note:

1. The best is to use kucho chingri/shripms when you make Mocha chingri.
2. Always use the fresh Mocha/ Banana Blossom, it tastes much better than the Peeled store bought packs and I am telling you from my experience.