Kachkolar Khoshar Chochchori
A fiery mishmash of green banana peels
- Cooking time1 hour
- Calorieskcal
Kachkola Khosha Chochchori is a type of chochchori made from the chopped peels of kachkola (green bananas/plantains). Bengalis consume all parts of the banana plant in one form or the other and green banana recipes are some of the most loved. Bengal, having seen devastating famines as well as the horrors of Partition, has had to be frugal and resourceful when it comes to food. Once you taste this kachkola'r khosha chochchori you will wonder why anyone would consider throwing away the peels when making a kachkola recipe! It is that delicious. So next time you're making green banana kofta (kachkola'r kofta) or kachkola'r torkari, remember to preserve the peels! We hope you give this easy green bananas recipe a try.
Ingredients
- 400 g kachkola (green bananas)
- 60 g potatoes
- 40 g pumpkin
- 15 g coconut
- 6 pcs daal'er bori (sundried lentil dumplings)
- 35 g mustard seeds
- 3 pcs green chillies
- 30 g mustard oil
- 1 pc dried red chilli
- ¼ tsp kaalo jeere (nigela seeds)
- 15 g total salt
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 10 g sugar
Method
- Soak mustard in water for at least 2 hours. Grind to a smooth paste with 8 g salt and 2 green chillies.
- Divide each green banana into 5-cm chunks and set to pressure cook with 7 g salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric and 450 ml hot water.
- Boil on medium heat for one whistle, then turn off the stove and let the pressure release naturally.
- Once cool, remove the peels in one piece.
- Cut the peels against the grain into 5mm-wide strips.
- Cut potatoes into 1 cm-wide sticks.
- Cut the pumpkin into 1 cm-wide sticks.
- In a korai or wok, heat mustard oil until smoking.
- Lower the heat and add the daal'er bori. Fry until light brown, about 20 seconds.
- Fry the pumpkin on medium high heat for 2 minutes and set aside.
- Temper the oil with kalo jeere (nigella seeds) and a dried red chilli.
- Add the potatoes and fry for 2 minutes on medium-high heat.
- Add grated coconut and fry until golden.
- Next add the banana peels, the remaining salt and turmeric and fry on medium heat for 3 minutes.
- Add the sugar and stir for some time.
- Add the mustard paste and fry for 5 minutes or until the raw smell of mustard dissipates.
- Break the fried bori into shards, and add to the pan along with the fried pumpkin.
- Finish with chopped green chillies and a drizzle of mustard oil.