No Garlic No Onion Bengali Mochar Dalna

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No Garlic Onion Banana inflorescence delicacy Mochar Dalna from my kitchen after a long time. Hello to all my dear friends! Hope you all are keeping good.

Relocation to a new city after some time and my new venture has been keeping me tied up a little bit, hence have been off from the blog for a long time.

Hailing from a region blessed with greeneries, rich variety of flora, fresh organic produces both wild and cultivated is a boon for the people belonging to the region.

Sharing a recipe with the following variety of banana inflorescence which is locally available back in my home state, indigenous to the hilly part.

Image Source

This banana flower was cooked long time back when I had received one from home. Soft and tender, not much of peeling required and gets cooked much quicker.

Mocha or Plantain flower is a good source of iron.

Back in my hometown and across the region, growing a plantain plant in the backyard or kitchen garden is common in every household.

This recipe calls for plantain florets which are cleaned washed and chopped into small pieces. The chopped florets are boiled and later fried with various spices and condiments. This is a dry preparation.

Bengali Mochar Dalna

 

Ingredients

1 small Banana/Plantain Flower, chopped, washed and boiled with some salt, drain away the water

2 medium size Potatoes, boiled and diced (cut into small cubes)

1 tsp Paanchphoron (mixture of fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, yellow mustard seeds)

1 Tejpatta/Bay leaf

2 Tbsp Mustard or Vegetable oil

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds, roasted and coarsely ground

1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder

1 inch Cinnamon stick

2-3 Green Cardamom, crushed

Salt to Taste

1/2 tsp Sugar (optional)

1/2 tsp Ghee

Method

1.Peel the outer dark cover/bracts of the flower, the florets are edible, however remove the plastic like small white cover around each floret and the string with a tiny dark head in the middle of each floret, as both are not edible/cannot be eaten.

2.Heat 1/2 tbsp of oil in a wok or fry pan. Fry the potatoes till light brown and keep aside.

3. In the same pan or wok heat the remaining oil. Turn off the flame and add in the paanchphoron, tejpatta leaf, let splutter.

4. Now add the boiled chopped florets. Fold in,cover and cook on a low flame for about 10 minutes. (drain away the water)

5. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, salt, sugar (optional) and saute for few minutes.

6. Add the fried potatoes and saute for few more minutes till the water had dried out completely. Add in the cinnamon stick and crushed cardamom and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Saute or stir in well on a low flame.

7. Garnish with ghee. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Note: While peeling the banana/plantain flower apply some cooking oil on your hands to avoid staining them.

Sending this Mochar Dalna as part of our #99th FoodieMonday Bloghop theme #FlowerRecipes.