By Rajan Bhattacharya
October 17, 2024
Mochar Chop, a popular Bengali snack made from banana flowers, is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. This vegetarian delicacy is perfect for serving with tea or as a festive treat.
2 cups chopped banana flower (inner part) 2 large boiled potatoes, mashed 1 tbsp grated ginger 2 tbsp mustard oil Handful of peanuts and raisins 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tbsp rice flour 1/2 cup besan (Bengal gram flour) 4 slices bread (crumbled)
Salt, turmeric, and sugar to taste Spices: 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, 2 green cardamoms 1 bay leaf, 1-2 dried red chillies Oil for frying
Pressure cook the banana flower with turmeric and salt for 4 whistles. Mash the cooled banana flower with boiled potatoes until smooth.
Dry roast cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Grind coarsely to make the spice mix.
Heat oil, fry peanuts and raisins, then add ginger and the mashed mixture. Stir until dry.
Shape the mixture into chops. Dust with flour, dip in batter, and coat with breadcrumbs.
Refrigerate the chops for 2 hours, then deep fry until golden brown. Serve with ketchup or kasundi.