Mochar chop

Rumki’s Golden Spoon’s mochar chop is a Bengali banana-blossom croquette associated with street snacks and Durga Puja. This selection uses the author’s mixed blossom-and-potato filling rather than enclosing a separate filling inside potato.

The blossom florets and inner core are cleaned and chopped, then pressure-cooked with salt, turmeric and water. They are strained, cooled with cold water and mashed without making a smooth puree; separately boiled potatoes are peeled and mashed smooth.

Mustard oil is tempered with dried red chilli and cumin seeds. A ginger-and-ground-spice slurry cooks before grated coconut, salt, sugar and the same blossom are added, followed by potato, raisins and roasted peanuts.

The mixture cooks into a mass and is finished with garam masala and bhaja masala before cooling and shaping into discs. The discs receive two rounds of flour-and-cornflour batter and seasoned breadcrumbs, then are chilled to set the coating.

The same coated discs are deep-fried until crisp and golden, drained and served hot or warm. The author offers kasundi or ketchup and cucumber-onion salad; this selection retains the kasundi accompaniment.