Arabinda Seth, executive sous chef, JW Marriott Kolkata, shares the recipe for a very traditional vegetarian Bengali dish, Thor Chechki, usually cooked and served during the afternoons. It makes for a lip smacking side dish along with a hot plate of bhog (khichhdi) or plain rice during Durga Puja. Try out
Thor Chechki (Plantain Stem Stir Fry, Bengali style)
Ingredients:
One small plantain stem, chopped, cut into thin slices & immersed in water.
Two tbsp mustard oil
One tsp mustard seeds
One to two dry red chilies
One tbsp grated ginger
Half cup fresh grated coconut
Salt to taste
Half tsp turmeric powder
One to two slit green chillies
Two tbsp kasundi / mustard paste
One tsp roasted panch phoron powder (equal quantities of mustard, fennel, fenugreek, cumin & nigella seeds)
Method:
Keep the chopped stem immersed in water with a pinch of turmeric powder to avoid it getting dark in color. Rinse well and pressure cook in required quantity of water for 2 whistles. Drain the Thor and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chilies and mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the coconut and ginger. Sauté till it changes color to light brown. Nicely squeeze out all the water for theboiled Thor and it to the pan. Add salt, turmeric powder and green chilies and sauté on a medium flame for three to four minutes. Add the kasundi and continue to fry for another minute. Don’t fry for too long, as mustard may lose its taste and turn bitter.
When done, add the panch phoron powder and mix well and serve along with steamed rice or chapattis.