Category: How to

Kochu Saag : Step-by-Step Guide to Cooking Kochu Saag

Khochu is the Bengali name for Taro ( in english) or Arbi ( in Hindi). The root or corm is eaten in most of the tropical countries of the world. The plant has big heart shaped leaves on long stalks ( Petioles). In this recipe we use only the stalks Of Kochu Plant, not the leaves. Sometimes the very young leaves are also used.

The recipe below is a vegetarian dish with coconut and black chana ( Bengal gram). Sometimes Kochu is made with Chingri maach ( shrimp) or Ilish Maacher matha ( Hilsa fish head). The difficult part of this recipe is the cutting the kochu saag.

I have tried to show how to cut kochu saag in step by step photos.

this is what is sold in the vegetable shops.

The photo shows the thick stalk as well a the slender stalks. This is cut then boiled first. The quantity reduces drastically after it is boiled and then the water squeezed out. So when buying kochu saag you have to buy a lot.

HOW TO CUT KOCHU SAAG AND PREPARE THE KOCHU SAAG .

If you turn the fat stalk and look at the bottom this is what you will see. The semicircular things on the sides are the thinner stalks and you can seperate them.

If you cut it the stalks will separate, like the picture below.

now you can see them separated.

Take the cylindrical piece and peel the greenish skin. You will be left with a soft white center.

this is what you will find after peeling the skin. We will be using this white centre portion.

Now peel the green skin from the semicircular parts too. You will get a soft white part in the center.

When you peel the green skin from the long stalks you will get the same kind of white soft part. These are what we are going to cook.

Once you have peeled the skin of all the stalks, gather up all the white parts you have and chop it into small pieces.

Boil the chopped white parts in a pressure cooker with about 1/2 cup water. Once it starts to whistle, wait for 2 whistles and turn off the gas. Let the cooker cool completely before opening and taking out the Kochu saag. It will look like the photo, and the quantity will reduce a lot.

Put the boiled kochu saag in a strainer and press with a spoon to take out as much water as you can, not totally dry though.

Keep the kochu saag that has been squeezed out into a dish. This is now going to be cooked with coconut and chana. Discard the water.

HOW TO CUT KOCHU SAAG

HOW TO COOK THE KOCHU SAAG

Cutting and preparing the kochu saag takes time, but cooking it is very easy. This dish is vegetarian and made with freshly grated coconut, and chana ( bengal gram). I actually love kochu saag cooked this way. You can also make it with some fried chingri (shrimp )or the fried Ilish maacher matha ( Hilsa fish head) . But that is another recipe.

RECIPE FOR KOCHU SAAG NARKEL AAR CHOLA DIYE/ kOCHU SAAG WITH COCONUT AND KALA CHANA

Before you make this you need to soak the kala chana for at least 6 hours or overnight. Throw out the water in which the chana was soaked and keep the chana aside.

Grate the coconut, you will need almost the same amount as the kochu saag which has been boiled and water removed.

Ingredients

  • Kochu saag boiled and strained 1 cup
  • Grated coconut 1 cup
  • Salt 1/4 tsp
  • Sugar 1 teaspoon
  • Green chilies slit 2 or 3
  • Chana soaked 1/4 cup
  • Mustard oil 2 tablespoons
  • Jeera ( cumin) seeds 1/2 teaspoon
  • Tej pata ( bay leaf) 1
Grated coconut and kochu saag
Spices required and chana

Method

  • Heat the mustard oil in a Kadai or pan.
  • Give Phoron ( tarka) , that is add the Tej pata( bay leaves) and Jeera( cumin ) seeds and 1 slit green chili.
  • When the jeera ( cumin) turns a little brown, add the Kochu saag that you have prepared.
  • Add the chana, salt and sugar and the rest of the green chilies, and keep stir frying on medium heat.
  • When the Kochu saag is quite dry add the grated coconut and again stir fry for a couple of minute only.
  • Transfer to a serving dish. Its ready to be served now.
  • It tastes best eaten with steamed rice, and need not be served hot. In fact room temperature is best.
Kochu saag with Narkel ( coconut) aar chola (and chana)

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Chapra (Split Yellow peas patties)

These lentil patties or Chapra as they are called, are not eaten by itself. They are added as a garnish to other dishes to make it more interesting. I learnt about these from my mother- in- law. She used it in many preparations like Chalkumro jhal, Chapor ghanto, or Thor bhaja and even in Shukto. These are very easy to make and I have found that they freeze very well, so usually when I make them, I make extra and store some in the freezer.

Motor dal which is used to make these are actually dried peas. They are called yellow split peas and are available in most supermarkets in the US. In Delhi this dal is not available every where but is available in areas where the Bengalis frequently shop, like in the Chittaranjan park markets, Gole Market, and even INA Market.

The procedure is very simple, just soak some of the motor dal for about 4 to 6 hours, then grind it into a paste and make these patties.

Ingredients

Motor Dal ( yellow slit peas) 1 cup

Water 1&1/2 cups

Salt 1/2 teaspoon

Oil ( Mustard or any edible oil)

Method

Rinse the dal and soak with 1 and 1/2 cup of water for 4 to 6 six hour.

Then drain out the water, and grind it in a grinder. You will need to add a little water maybe to make the grinding easier, but try NOT to add TOO much water, just as much as is needed to make a thick paste.

Add the salt and mix it well.

Heat a frying pan, preferably a non stick one, or a iron tava. Put 1 tablespoon of oil, tilt the pan so that the oil spreads all over .

Take a tablespoon of the ground dal and spread it into a fairly thin patty. Let it cook on low heat for a few minutes, till the dal paste is set, then flip it over and cook the other side. You may need to put a tablespoon of oil around the patties so that they don’t stick to the pan. It has to be cooked on low heat so that the patties are not raw in the center. You can make more than 1 patty at a time as long as the frying pan is big enough. When both the sides of the patty is slightly brown take it out of the frying pan and leave it on a plate to cool.

Motor Dal or Yellow split peas look like this picture.

It can easily be confused with Arhar Dal ( Pigeon pea) and with Channa Dal ( split chick peas).

I have noticed that the Motor dal is something in between the Arhar dal and the Chana dal in thickness.

Soak 1 cup of dal for 4 to 6 hours. Then drain out the water and grind it to a paste like this on the left. Mix in the salt.

Heat a frying pan and add a couple of tablespoons of oil and spread it around by tilting the pan.

Pick up 1 teaspoon of the dal and put it on the pan, spreading it evenly to make a flat patty.

Add another spoonful beside the previous patty and spread it to make another one. Put a little oil around it .

You can make as many as can fit in the pan. I make 4 at a time . Keep the heat low or the patties will not cook in the center.

After a couple of minutes the ground dal paste will set and start to get brown. Flip it over and cook the other side. Add a teaspoon of oil.

Both sides should be brown like this. Take them off the pan and keep it on a plate to cool.

These are now ready to be used in the dishes or stored.

To store them you need to cool it and then keep them in an airtight box or Ziploc bags in the freezer.

You need to defrost the patties for a couple of hours before using them in the dishes.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Slicing Banana Stem for Cooking

Thor as it is called in Bengali is actually actually the inner part of the of the Banana stem. The outer thick fibrous parts of the stem of the banana plant which surrounds the central part are thrown away and only the slender white part in the center, called Thoar in Bengali, is used. The stem is crunchy and has a mild taste, a bit like the bamboo shoots. Just like the Fruit the stem is rich in Potassium and vitamin B and dietary fibers. It is used to make curries and stir fry, many like to have the juice of the banana stem for health benefits.

What is available at the vegetable vendor is a white or cream coloured stem. There is a special way of cutting the Thoar.

You will need

A sharp knife

A cutting board

A bowl with some Mustard oil ( or any edible oil )

You need to apply oil on your fingers well before you start cutting or your fingers will get a dark stain. Also you have to be careful to not let it touch the clothes you are wearing.

Put the stem on the cutting board and slice it thin as possible. When slicing you will see threads or fibres coming out . You have to wind these around you fingers and throw it away . After you have a few slices, gather them together and chop them really small, for curries like Chapor Ghonto. When we use it in the Motor dal with Vegetables we use the thin round slices.

When we buy Banana stem or Thoor it looks like a white thick stick. I cut a portion of the stem in this photo. The soft inner part is surrounded by thick bract like structures. So first we peel off the bracts to get to the softer center which is the edible part.

Now slowly slice the edible part or Thoar as thin as possible, and as you slice you will see thread like fibers.

These fibers have to be removed as much as possible.

Pull the fibers gently or they will break. You may not find fibers in the very young stems. In that case just slice the Thoar.

Wrap the threads around your index fingers and keep it aside,or discard it.

Continue this way till you have sliced the whole stem.

Gather the slices in a small pile and chop them into small pieces, ( dice them small)

The Banana stem or thoor is now ready to be used in the curries and stir fries. Gather up the diced thoor in a bowl and wash before using.

HOW TO CUT THOAR

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