Mocha ghonto or banana flower dry curry.
A very delicious and healthy dish. Banana flower called mocha in Bengali. This mocha ghonto is a traditional dish of Bengal. Generally served with hot steamed rice. This dry curry or ghonto made of banana flower, coconut, potatoes and some aromatic spices.
Its very common dish in Bengal. But we get good quality banana flowers rarely in our city. Thanks to my neighbour Nidhi for this delicious banana flower or mocha.
Traditional recipe is bit lengthy. I remember my mother and mother in law used to add cardamom, cinnamon and cloves paste at the end. And ground these with the help of grindstone or sil batta. Mother never used powder spices. All the spices ground separately with the help of grindstone. But these days we don’t have those grindstones. And no helping hands to grind all the spices separately. So here is a easy recipe to make this delicious mocha ghonto. But no cheating with aroma or taste. Taste is equally delicious.
Almost every part of the banana tree can be used in some way or the other. The flowers, fruit and stems can be eaten, the leaves can be used as plates and the bark can be used to make paper.
Known as banana hearts, banana flowers are loaded with fibre, protein, potassium, calcium, copper, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and Vitamin E. These pretty flowers can be eaten raw or cooked and added to salads, soups, stir-fries and herbal teas.
Here is my cheat or easy recipe of mocha ghonto or banana flower dry curry.
Recipe
Banana flower – 1 small
Potato – 1 large
Grated coconut – 1/2 cup + to garnish
Oil – 2-3 tablespoon
Cumin seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
Green chilli – 1 – 2 slit
Dry red chilli – 1
Bay leaf – 1
Ginger – 1 inch piece
Green cardamom – 3
Cinnamon – 1 inch piece
Cloves – 3
Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Sugar – 1 teaspoon or to taste
Ghee or clarified butter – 1 tablespoon
Method
First we have to prepare the banana flower. Its little time consuming.
Remove outer leaves of the banana blossom or flower.
Take out the florets from inside.
Open each floret and remove the long string with small head and a plastic like part from it. Both are not edible.
Clean all the florets like this. At the end when all the florets are removed, chop finely all the florets and remaining small inside part of the flower. Discard the stem of the inside part first then chop finely.
Soak the chopped florets in the water with salt and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder overnight.
Next day boil the chopped florets in pressure cooker. Cook on high flame for 1 whistle then cook on simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.
Let it cool down. Drain the water and wash again in running tap water.
Squeeze all the water and keep aside.
Peel the potato and cut into small cube. Wash and drain the water.
Grind coconut, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Make a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped potato. Fry till the potato becomes light brown.
Remove from oil.
In the same oil add bay leaf and cumin seeds and let the cumin seeds splutter.
Add dry red chilli and slit green chilli.
Add the chopped and boiled banana florets. Fry for 1 – 2 minutes.
Add fried potato and salt. Mix well. Add ground coconut, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves.
Add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and sugar.
Saute till dried up completely.
Add water as require. It will be a dry curry.
When it starts to rolling boil cover and cook on simmer for 10 minutes. Check and stir in between.
Cook till the potato becomes tender and curry dried up.
Add ghee or clarified butter and remove from heat.
Garnish with grated coconut and green chilli.
Serve with hot steamed rice.
Note
Add chilli according to your taste. If you don’t like hot omit or decrease the amount of chilli.
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Its very delicious and tasty 🙂
Yes. Thank you so much 😊😊