Green plantain or raw banana curry - A traditional Bengali Preparation

Among the many kolagach (banana plant) products Bengalis have thought to turn into delectable food items, kachkola’r kofta (raw banana kofta) remains an eternal favourite. The Raw banana is rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  The starch content present in raw banana will help in controlling blood sugar level and manage cholesterol. Bengali Style Kanch kolar Kofta Curry Recipe (Green Plantain or Raw Banana Kofta Curry Recipe) is a Bengali dish made with soft and crispy Koftas dipped in thin and tangy based curry. This one is delicately spiced, deep-fried raw banana fritters. Boiled kachkola are mashed with boiled potatoes, onion paste, ginger, green chilies, and a host of dry spices. Let’s start the recipe without any delay:-

Preparation Time: - 10 min

Cooking Time: - 30 min

Servings: - 5~6 persons

Ingredients:

1. 2 Large Kanchkola / green banana
2. 5 Large potato
3. 1 medium Onion (optional – not for pure veg preparation)
4. 1 Large Tomato
5. 6 tbsp Mustard oil (I used Mustard oil as this recipe is traditional Bengali one, you can use any vegetable oil as you wish if you do not like the pungent smell of the mustard oil )
6. 2 tbsp Ginger paste
7. Salt as per taste
8. ½ tsp Sugar (Bengalis love sugar but you can opt out of it if you have any issue)
9. 1 tsp Turmeric powder
10. 2 tsp Cumin powder
11. ½ tsp Cumin seed
12. 2 large Green chili
13. 1 tsp Garam masala
14. ½ tsp Red chili powder (I used Kashmiri red chili but you can use red chilli as per your taste)
15. 2 Bay leaves

Preparation: -

1. Chop the tomatoes, onion and smash the ginger with the help of pestle and mortar. Make a smooth paste of Ginger. If you want to prepare the pure veg curry then you need the onion.
2. Boil green banana and potato in a pressure cooker. Remove the skin.
3. Heat 2 tbsp Mustard oil in a pan and shallow fry half of the potatoes till they turn slightly brown. Keep aside.
4. Mash the other half of boiled potato and green banana. Mix salt, little ginger paste, cumin powder, garam masala powder and red chili powder with the mashed potato and green banana to make a dough.
5. Make small balls from the dough.
6. Heat rest of the oil in a pan and shallow fry the balls till brownish. Please take the balls out and keep aside.
7. Add bay leaves and cumin seed.
8. Add onion if you need. Sauté till the onion become translucent.
9. Add ginger paste and stir.
10. Add previously cut tomato. Allow to cook for 5 minutes or till the water from tomato is dried up. 
11. Pour cumin powder and turmeric powder. Stir and mix everything properly. Cook for 5 minutes.
12. Add fried balls. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
13. Now add the shallow fried potatoes. Mix everything together.
14. If you want you can add sugar here and stir well the mix. You can skip this if you are not having sugar tooth like we Bengalis have.
15. Add salt to taste.
16. Add a cup of water and green chili. Allow to boil.
17. Sprinkle garam masala and turn off the burner.

Serve hot as Side dish to Roti, Paratha or flavored/jeera rice. I even have it with steamed rice. 

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