Summary: Mocha or Banana Flower cooked following a traditional Bengali recipe


Introduction: Mocha or Banana Blossom is associated with my childhood memories.  I used to gather the purple leaf of the Blossom to make my boats. Without a Stewart little to steer, it used to flow with the stream that springs up after a heavy downpour. So cooking “Mocha” as it is known in Bengal was not only just gastronomically exciting, but also quite thrilling for my adventures hobby. After so many years, when I picked up a Banana Blossom in my kitchen to prepare it for the dish I felt like going back to my childhood again.

Mocha Ghonto Recipe :
Preparation time 45 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes
Serves 4
Difficulty Level Expert
Ingredients:
1 Medium sized Mocha or Banana Blossom
Cooking Oil to grease fingers
½ Cup scrapped fresh coconut
1 Teaspoon Cumin or Jeera powder
2 Teaspoon Coriander or Dhania powder
1 Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
1 Tablespoon Turmeric Powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon cooking oil
Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon wheat flour mixed in ¼ cup water
1 Tablespoon Ghee
2 whole Red Chillies
1 Bay leaf
½ Teaspoon whole Cumin Seeds
Instructions:
Preparing the Banana Blossom:
Preparing the Banana Blossom is an art itself. So follow the instructions religiously
>Rub little cooking oil in the finger and palm to avoid the dark stains
>Peel of each purple leaf, underneath the yellow coloured blossoms reside
>Separate the blossoms and collect it while discarding the leaves

>While doing so, you will reach to a stage where the leaf is in light yellow in colour and it can’t be peeled off anymore
>Finely chop that Conical portion and keep it in bowl of water
>Now for the Blossoms, you need to clean each of them one by one
>Remove the transparent casing and the matchstick like stigma from each flower as shown in the images

>Chop the cleaned blossoms in batches and keep in water
>Now discard the water and cook the blossoms and cook it for 15 minutes adding 2 cups of water
>Cool and discard the water by hand pressing and make pulp of the cooked Banana Blossom
>Now the Banana Blossom is cooked and ready for further seasoning
Cooking Mocha Ghonto:
>In a Wok of Kadai heat oil and add the scrapped Coconut and cook for 3-4 minutes
>Add the cooked Banana Blossom
>In a small bowl add Turmeric, Cumin, Coriander, Garam Masala and Red Chilli powder
>Add ½ cup water and make a paste
>Add the sugar and mix well
>Add this Masala Paste to the wok and stir well and cook for 5 to 7 minutes
>Sprinkle little water if required, cook till the oil starts separating
>Add the wheat flour paste to it and mix well so the Masala coats well 
>Now in a small pan heat the ghee, add the whole Red Chilli, bay leaf and the Cumin Seeds
>When it starts splattering, pour it over the cooked Banana Blossom and mix well
>Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with some grated strips of coconut and serve with rice