Mochar Ghonto

(Curried Banana Blossoms)

Serving Size: 2 persons

Ingredients:

Mocha (Banana Blossoms) - 1 large

Potato - 1 medium (100 grams), diced in small cubes

Besan - 2 tbsp

Baking powder -  a pinch

Whole cumin/ Jeera seeds - 1/4 tsp

Bayleaf - 1 medium

Cinnamon - 2 inch, broken in 2-3 pieces

Green cardamom (choto elaichi) - 4 broken

Ginger - 1 tsp, grated

Cumin powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Sugar - 1tsp

Green chillies - 2 slit

Ghee - 1 tsp

Oil - as indicated

Preparation:

Mocha:

1. Remove the blossoms after peeling away the outer leaves and clean. Chop finely.

2. Bring to boil 2 cups water with a pinch of salt and turmeric. Add the chopped blossoms and cook covered for 15 minutes.

3. Drain water and using a slotted spoon squeeze out the water completely on a colander. At this stage the quantity of blossoms is approximately equal to 1 cup. Keep this aside.

Besan Boras (Dumplings):

1. In a bowl mix besan with a pinch of salt, baking powder, chilli powder (optional). Make a smooth batter with 2 tbsp water. Just before frying the boras or dumplings, add 1 tsp of hot oil from the kadhai to the mix. (Right consistency is important. If the batter is too thick, the dumplings turn hard. However see the tip below. If the batter is too thin, then forming round dumplings is difficult)

2. Heat 1/2 cup oil to smoking. Then reduce flame to medium-low before adding the batter to oil.

3. Using a small measuring spoon (1/4 tsp measure) add batter to the oil to make very small round dumplings. Fry till light brown and keep aside.

Potatoes:

1. In the above oil, fry potatoes till light brown and keep aside.

Cooking procedure:

1. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a kadhai. Add bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin seeds. Fry till the cumin seeds turn dark brown.

2. Add ginger, turmeric, and the cumin powder (dissolved in 2 tbsp water). Fry for 1 minute.

3. Add the blossoms, mix well and fry for 2 minutes on medium heat.

4. Add the fried potatoes, salt, and sugar. Mix well and add in 1/4 cup of water. Simmer for 3 minutes and add the Besan Bora (dumplings) prepared above.

5. Let cook for another 3 minutes. Then add the green chillies and ghee, remove from the heat.

Tips:

• The Besan Boras may be replaced with Motor Dal Boras

• If Besan dumplings become hard, then you may keep them soaked in water before adding them in at step 4.

Serving Suggestions: