Mochar Chop
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Cutlets made from Banana Flower Blossoms are a popular Bengali snack. A great street food too.
Ingredients
- 1 medium banana flower (kelphul/mochar), separated and cleaned
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 2-3 green chillies
- 1 inch ginger, roughly chopped
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsps mustard oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- ¼ tsp cumin powder
- 4 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
- ¼ cup fried peanuts
- 2 tbsps chopped fresh coconut, fried
- A pinch of sugar
- 2 tbsps chopped fresh coriander leaves
- 2 tsps bhaja masala
- 1 cup dried bread crumbs + for coating
- 2 tbsps corn flour
- 2 tbsps refined flour (maida)
- Oil for deep frying
- Kasundi mustard to serve
- Tomato ketchup to serve
- Onion rings to serve
Method
- Finely chop the banana flowers and transfer into a pressure cooker. Add 1½ cups water, salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Cover and cook under pressure for 2-3 whistles.
- Open the cooker once the pressure has reduced completely.
- Put the onion in a blender jar. Add green chillies, ginger, garlic, and ½ cup water and blend to a fine paste.
- Heat mustard oil in a non-stick pan. Add cumin seeds and let them change colour. Add the blended paste and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and mix well. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add cumin powder and mix well. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Take potatoes in a large bowl, add the cooled mixture, fried peanuts, fried coconut, sugar, salt, coriander leaves, bhaja masala, and mix well. Add dried bread crumbs and mix till well combined.
- Take a portion of the mixture and shape it into an oval cutlet. This is a chop.
- Take some breadcrumbs on a plate for coating.
- To make the slurry, take corn flour and refined flour in a bowl. Add salt and ½ cup water and whisk till well combined.
- Dip each chop into the slurry and coat with the bread crumbs. Place this in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.
- Gently slide in the chops a few at a time and deep fry till golden brown and crisp. Drain on an absorbent paper.
- Arrange the chops on a serving plate, serve hot with kasundi mustard, tomato ketchup and onion rings.