Steamed Basmati Rice with Mochar Ghonto

Ingredients

• 1 medium Banana Blossom (about 500g before cleaning)
• 2 medium Potato (peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 0.25 cup Chana Dal (soaked for at least 2 hours)
• 0.5 cup Fresh Coconut (grated)
• 3 tbsp Mustard Oil
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• 2 pcs Bay Leaf
• 2 pcs Dry Red Chilli (broken in half)
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 tbsp Ginger Paste
• 2 pcs Green Chilli (slit lengthwise)
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder (divided)
• 1 tsp Cumin Powder
• 0.5 tsp Coriander Powder
• 0.5 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1.25 tsp Salt (or to taste, divided)
• 1.25 cup Water (for cooking)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare and Cook the Banana Blossom

   • Grease your hands and knife with oil to prevent staining. Remove the tough, outer purple layers of the banana blossom until you reach the pale, tender core.
   • Separate the individual florets. For each floret, remove the tough, translucent outer petal (calyx) and the hard central stalk (pistil).
   • Finely chop the cleaned florets and the tender core. Immediately place them in a bowl of water with 1/2 tsp of the turmeric powder to prevent browning.
   • In a pressure cooker, combine the chopped banana blossom, soaked and drained chana dal, 1 cup of water, the remaining 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.
   • Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles, or about 10-12 minutes, until soft. Let the pressure release naturally. Drain any excess water and lightly mash the mixture with the back of a spoon. Set aside.
2. 2

   Fry the Potatoes

   • Heat the mustard oil in a kadai or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until it is slightly smoking.
   • Carefully add the cubed potatoes and fry, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown and cooked through. This should take about 8-10 minutes.
   • Remove the fried potatoes with a slotted spoon and set them aside.