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Kancha kola bhorta
Green banana mash
কাঁচা কলা ভর্তা (kancha kola bhorta): boiled green banana mashed with onion, chilli and mustard oil
Green cooking bananas are cheap all year in Bangladeshi markets, and in homes from Comilla to Kushtia they are boiled whole and turned into a pale, gently starchy bhorta that is more filling than it looks. The flesh is mashed while warm with raw onion, green chilli, coriander and a generous splash of mustard oil, so it tastes mild and earthy with a sharp, nose-tingling finish. It is a weekday lunch with rice and dal, food for someone recovering from illness, and a regular on the bhorta platter during the Pohela Boishakh meal. Peeling the bananas before boiling makes them waterlogged and gluey, so they go into the pot in their skins. Chef's tip: mash while still warm; cold green banana goes hard and lumpy and won't absorb the oil.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 green cooking bananas (plantain)about 400 g, ends trimmed, left whole in their skins
- 3 /4 tsp salt
- 1 onionvery finely chopped
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 ½ tbsp mustard oil
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
- 1 dried red chilli (optional)fried in a little oil and crumbled
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Boil 2 green cooking bananas (plantain) in their skins in a pan of water for 15–20 minutes until a knife slides through easily.
20 minStep 2: Drain, cool just enough to handle, then peel off the skins.
2 minStep 3: Mash the warm flesh with 3 /4 tsp salt until fairly smooth, then mix in 1 onion, 2 green chillies, 1 ½ tbsp mustard oil and 2 tbsp fresh coriander with your fingers.
3 minStep 4: Taste for salt, crumble 1 dried red chilli over the top if using and serve with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kancha kola bhorta take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of green cooking bananas (plantain)?
- Mango, same weight (in smoothies and shakes).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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