Niramish Kanchkalar Kofta curry/Green Banana Kofta Curry, no onion-no garlic ~ Bengali traditional festive delicacy

   The concept of kofta is a gift from Mughal cuisine, which slowly adapted into all the regional cuisines of India, specially in North Indian and East Indian cuisines. Koftas are round shaped balls of mashed or minced vegetables or meat, which are deep fried and then simmer in a cooked gravy. In non-veg., chicken or lamb meat koftas are very popular. In veg., malai Kofta is also widely popular. Koftas are also made from single vegetable like bottle guard or lauki kofta, Green banana or kanchche kele ki koft are also very delectable preperations of Indian cuisine.
  In bengali cuisine too, koftas have made their place in quite popular way. Kanchkalar Kofta or green banana kofta is one of them. The version is cooked in Bengal is less spicier than North Indian kofta gravies and is often made without onion-garlic, mostly on festive days when fast is observed. Today I'll share the no onion no garlic version of Kanchkalar Kofta Curry. It's very easy to make and goes well with luchi/puri or paratha.

You need :
For koftas
Green banana/plaintain/Kanch kala : 3 nos.
Potato ; 1, big
Ginger paste : 2 tsp.
Green chillies : 2, finely chopped
cumin seed : 1tsp.
Turmeric powder : 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder : 1 tsp.
Cumin powder : 1 tsp.
Roasted cumin seed powder : 1 tsp.
Chat masala/Amchur(Dry mango) Powder : 1tsp.
Fresh coriander leaves : chopped
Salt to taste
Corn flour : just enough to bind the koftas
Oil : 2 tblsp./ just enough o shallow fry the koftas

For the gravy
Potato : few chunks, boiled(optional)
Cumin seed : 1 tsp.
Ginger paste : 1 tblsp.
Green chilli : 1, slitted
Tomatoes : 1, chopped
Turmeric powder : 1tsp.
Red chilli powder : 2 tsp.
Cumin powder : 1 tsp.
Coriander powder : 1 tsp.
Salt to taste
Oil : 1 tblsp.
Fresh coriander leaves to garnish

How To :

• Boil green banana and potato together until they are just done. Drain well and when they are little cooled down, mash them well together. Add all the dry spices in the mash one by one except cornflour and oil. Lastly add just enough corn flour, I needed about 2 tblsp. (just to soak the moisture from boiled vegetable) in the mash and mix well, till you can form some balls from the vegetable mash. Make small round ball shaped or round flat shaped koftas and keep aside.

• Now heat 2 tblsp. or less oil in a frying pan and carefully place the koftas in the oil and in medium heat fry till golden brown from both sides. Drain on kitchen paper towel and soak the excess oil from both sides.

• Now it's time to prepare the gravy. I have added few chunks of boiled potatoes but that is optional. Heat 1 tblsp. oil in a pan, temper with cumin seeds, immediately add slitted green chillies and all powdered spices with 2 tblsp. water added to them. Also add ginger paste and chopped tomatoes. In low flame, cook the spices along with tomatoes. 

• When oil seperates and tomatoes are mixed well, add boiled potatoes in there, mix well. Add about 1 cup of warm water for the gravy. Season with salt. Cover and let it cook, when gravy thickens to your desired consistency, remove from heat. 
• Place the koftas in the gravy just before you are going to serve, otherwise koftas will be soggy and soft. Serve garnishing with fresh Coriander leaves.

Enjoy hot with Puri/Luchi, parathas or any kind of Indian bread.

Note :

• I made round flat shaped koftas, so that I can shallow fry them and can avoid deep frying. In round ball shape, deep frying is better option, so that koftas are cooked thoroughly. 
• Using potatoes in the gravy is totally optional.

 Sending this Festive delicacy to Kolkata Food Blogger's ongoing event, "Durga Puja Bhuribhoj"