After a loong time I am here again with a recipe :) I dont know how the days are just passing by.... the evenings quickly roll into nights while I keep on thinking what new dish to make for dinner soon after we have some snacks after returning from lab...and the weekend gets over in a jiffy . This is going on for last one month which made me soo irregular in the blogosphere. I missed many posts of my friends/fellow bloggers and could not post the awards as well that have been passed onto me by my friends here. But...at the end of the day...I am liking what I am doing ... got to learn many things in my lab and looking forward to another opportunity. But I am still waiting for the much awaited call !!

Anyways, first I would like to apologize to my friends for the delay in acknowledging the awards ... I will post them very soon.

Hmm...now back to the recipe...I cooked some new dishes in between...will post them one by one. I made Kanchkolar kopta for the first time few days back...it really tasted great...we had it after so long...its a great dish when planning for a vegetarian treat or just to relish at home with rice :)

Kanchkolar kopta / Green Plantain Curry




Ingredients:

Kanchkola (Green plantain) - 2
Corn flour - 1tbsp
Garam masala
Onion - medium, 1 and half - chopped
Green chillies - 2
Tomatoes-1 medium, chopped
Potato - 1 medium, cubed
Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder-1tsp
Coriander powder-1tsp
chilli powder-1/2 tsp
turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Kashmiri mirch- 1/2 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste- 1tbsp
Salt
Sugar-a pinch
Vegetable Oil for deep frying.


Method:

How to make koptas ~

Cut the plantains in half and put them in a pressure cooker with water and salt. I cooked for 2 mins after the cap started rocking steadily. Mine doesnt give whistles, but I guess it would be 1 whistle. After 2 mins, the bananas were still a bit tough and I had to work hard to mash them. Maybe next time I will keep them for 3 mins.

After they are done, remove the skin which already softened. Mash them nicely. Add half onion, chopped, green chilli, 1 tsp garam masala and some salt to the mashed banana. Mix corn flour so that it binds well when frying. Mix everything well to get a tight dough. Make small balls ( I got about 16 koptas) from it and keep aside for frying. Heat enough oil in medium high for deep frying the koptas/koftas. Put the koptas in batches and fry till brown. ( Mine should have been more brown, next time will do that). Put them on a paper towel.

** The koptas are to be added in the gravy just before serving, otherwise they will soak all the gravy. I had put aside half of them to be used one day and refrigerated the rest for using second day.



Gravy ~

Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan. After its hot enough, add the cumin seeds. After they crackle , add the onions. Fry them till they are soft. Then add the potatoes and fry them together. (Potatoes can be fried separately before adding onions, but I was in a hurry, so did it together). Make a paste with little water and the masalas except garam masala. Add it to the onion. Fry them very well till oil starts separating from the sides of the pan. Then add the tomatoes and cook till they become mushy. Add a pinch of sugar and salt. Add water and bring to a boil. Then cook in medium heat till it is done. Sprinkle the garam masala over the gravy and simmer for 2-3 mins. Then put off the heat and keep covered for about 10 mins. Gravy is ready.

** Few minutes before serving, add the koptas to the gravy. Enjoy with white rice or pulao !! :)