BENGALURU: Blossom as it is called, is one ingredient I came across while I was a chef trainee with the Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai.
Working as a garde manger chef is an intriguing task as one gets introduced to many new ingredients from around the world and their usage in raw and cooked form.
I was already familiar with ingredients such as zucchini blossoms, edible flowers but it was during a Thai food promotion that I came across the banana flower for the first time.
I learned how to use the leaves for decoration and the flower in salads for the first time. I started using the flower in various forms of salads with spinach, asparagus, raw papaya and chaats.
The ‘banana blossom’ will always stay close to my culinary affection as the ingredient is versatile, sattvic and true to life.
Banana Flower Cutlets
Ingredients:
Banana flower 1
Coconut oil - 2-3 tsp
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds - 1-2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Cloves - 6-8
Raisin- 8-10
Dry red chillies - 2-3
Cinnamon stick - 1 small
Bay leaf - 1
Turmeric sticks - 2
Crushed black pepper - 1-1 ½ tsp
Water as required
Boiled potato - 1
Refined flour - 1 tbsp
Semolina - 1 tbsp
Coconut powder - 1-1 ½ tbsp
Breadcrumbs - 1 tbsp
Red chili powder - ¼ tsp
All spice powder - ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Quinoa - 1-1 ½ tsp
Roasted peanuts - 1 cup
raisins - ¼ cup
Vinegar - 3-4 tsp
All spice powder - 1 tsp
Red chili powder -1 tsp
Breadcrumbs - 2 tsp
Roasted cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Desi ghee - 1-1 ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Sesame Oil - 2 tsp
Water as required
Desi ghee - 2 tsp
Method:
To make banana flower cutlets clean banana flower and chop.
In hot pot add coconut oil, salt to taste, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, cloves, raisin, dry red chili, small cinnamon stick and a bay leaf. Mix it well.
Then add banana flower in pot and mix on very high flame. Add turmeric sticks, crush black pepper and water. Mix well and cook.
To make mixture:
In bowl, add a boiled potato, refined flour, Semolina, coconut powder, breadcrumbs, red chili powder, all spice powder, salt to taste and quinoa. Mix them well.
For Chutney:
In mixer jar, add roasted peanuts, raisin, vinegar, all spice powder, red chili powder, breadcrumbs, roasted cumin powder, desi ghee, salt to taste, water and sesame oil. Grind and make paste.
Place it in bowl. Then grind banana mixture in mixer jar. Transfer this into mixture and make dough for cutlets.
Shape cutlets and put desi ghee on pan and fry cutlets for 2 minutes.
Place the cutlets in a plate and serve with chutney. Garish with banana flower, raisins, chili powder and roasted peanuts.
- Chef Gautam Mehrishi, host of ‘100% Veg – Health Ka Dose, Living Foodz