Bandhakopir Ghonto / Niramish Bandhakopir Torkari

Abidjan glowed with some “puja roddur” for some days and bid adieu to the soft charm of the weather forever. Now the scorching heat comes fiercely at the first hour of the day and we burn with its afterglow. Even the A.C stops working in the afternoon. But after the evening, the surrounding air become thin and cold. We need a light cloth to cover ourselves and even the fan on the ceiling gives us goosebumps. A perfect tropical weather I am experiencing here. Don’t like it in the day time....but night tales a completely different story.

In the market fresh veggies are available again. During monsoon veggies are very hard to find. Cabbages are back again in the market and every time I come to shop I pick up one or two. I love the bandhakopir torkari as much as I loved it during my childhood. With soft cubed potatoes and green peas, this Bengali cabbage curry is a delight to eat with chapatti.

Cook the tomatoes

Add the ginger paste

Cook the potatoes and add the blanched cabbage

My husband does not like it, but shamelessly I cook it and eat all on my own. I don’t even leave sing piece as leftover. Generally I cook this Bandhakopir ghonto with prawns or fish heads, but sometimes I cook them pure vegetarian way, without onion and garlic. It goes great with some khichdi and is perfect for any auspicious day in winter. But don’t forget the garam masala powder to sprinkle in the end...it makes all the difference there!!!!

Add the salt and turmeric powder

Add the green peas

Bandhakopir Ghonto / Niramish Bandhakopir Torkari

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

250-300gm cabbage / ½ of a small cabbage – shredded

1 medium tomato – chopped

2 whole green chillies – partly slitted

½ inch ginger stick – chopped

1 big bay leaf

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 medium potato – cubed

½ cup green peas

½ tsp garam masala powder

Salt

4 tbsp mustard oil

1 tbsp ghee

2-3 tsp sugar

Method:

Blanch the shredded cabbage in boiling water for 5-7 minutes. Then drain the water and keep the blanched cabbage aside.

Heat oil in a kadai / pan and add in the whole cumin seeds, whole green chillies and bay leaf.

As the cumin seeds start to sizzle add in the chopped tomatoes into them

Sprinkle some salt and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the tomatoes become mushy and start to ooze out oil.

Sniff to make sure that the tomatoes smell like tomatoes no more and then add the ginger paste.

Sauté for another minute and add in the cubed potatoes to them.

Mix in, add ¼ th cup of water, put cover and let them cook. Check after two minutes and if the water dries up add some more water to them. Cook like this until the potatoes are almost cooked.

Now uncover, and add in the blanched kept aside shredded cabbage.

Add salt and turmeric powder.

 Mix evenly, put cover again and let the cabbage cook. Do not add any water as the cabbage will release lots of water.

Uncover after 3 minutes and add in the green peas.

Cook till the cabbages and the green peas are completely cooked.

You can keep the cabbages a little crispy or you can add water and cook until the cabbages turn almost mushy.

In the end, sprinkle the garam masala powder, sugar and ghee over them, mix to incorporate everything and put off the flame. Sugar is mandatory. Do not skip it.

Serve hot with some chapatti or steamed hot rice and dal.