Kachkolar Kofta - Plantain Kofta Curry

Considered to be one of the healthiest vegetables, plantain is rich with nutrients. Low in calories, plantains are a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, B6 and C. The potassium content in plantains is deemed to be beneficial for people with heart ailment. Rich in dietary fibres, plantains also help in clearing bowels.

‘Kachkola’ as we call plantain in Bengali makes one of the tastiest vegetable dishes - Kachkolar Kofta. I was never fond of vegetables during my growing years, least of all kachkola. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the koftas my mother made from kachkola. It was damn tasty and I would keep asking for repeated serving. For more

For more such recipes on Koftas, click the links below:

Lau er Kofta Curry
Rui Kofta Curry
Prawn Kofta Curry
Chicken Kofta Curry

Ingredients:                                              Cooking time: 45-60 minutes ü  2 plantains (boiled and peeled) ü  2 potatoes ü  2 tomatoes (pureed) ü  1/2 cup yogurt ü  1 heaped tsp cumin powder ü  1 tsp turmeric powder ü  1 tsp kashmiri red mirch ü  2 tbsp ginger (chopped) ü  1/2 cup grated coconut ü  1 1/2 tsp roasted fennel seeds ü  2 tbsp cornflour ü  Salt to taste ü  5-6 green chillies (chopped) ü  2 tbsp sugar ü  1 tsp panch phoron (a mix of five spices - fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and black mustard seeds) ü  White oil for cooking For Special garam masala : ü  1 tsp whole cumin seeds ü  1 tsp caraway seeds or shahi jeera ü  4 green cardamoms ü  3 cloves ü  5-6 black peppercorns ü  4 dry red chillies ü  1 inch cinnamon stick Method: 1) Dry roast the ingredients for special garam masala and then grind them into fine powder. 2) Pressure-cook the plantain and 1 potato till they turn into mushy consistency. Cut the other potato in wedges. Drain the water, peel the potatoes and plantains and then mash them together in a bowl. Pour yogurt into it. Add salt, green chillies, corn flour, fennel seeds and 1 tsp of the special garam masala powder. Combine. Make small balls out of them and then deep fry in hot oil. Keep aside. 3) Heat oil in a wok. Shallow fry the potato wedges and keep aside. Now add panch phoron and allow it to sputter. Add ginger and shallow fry. Then add tomato puree followed by turmeric powder, cumin powder and kashmiri red mirch. Sauté for few minutes. 4) Toss in the shallow fried potato wedges. Add the grated coconut, salt and sugar. Measure out water according to your need for gravy. (Actually, plantains absorb a lot of water, so depending on it, you may measure the quantity.) 5) Simmer away till the potatoes turn tender. Slide in the fried plantain balls into the gravy. Sprinkle a pinch of special garam masala powder on top. Turn the heat off. 6) Garnish with split green chillies. Serve warm with roti, chapati or rice.