Ghonto Bengali Mixed Vegetable Bhog Style

Ingredients

• 1 cup banana flower (mocha) — cleaned, finely chopped and soaked in water with turmeric to prevent browning
• 1 cup raw jackfruit — cubed (canned raw jackfruit works well)
• 1 cup raw plantain — peeled and cubed
• 1/2 cup fresh coconut — grated
• 3 tbsp mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp panch phoron, 2 bay leaf
• 2 dried red chilli, 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp sugar, salt
• 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ghee for finishing

Method

1. Prepare banana flower: Clean banana flower by removing the tough outer petals and slicing the tender inner portions. Immediately soak in water with 1/4 tsp turmeric and salt to prevent browning.
2. Par-boil the tough vegetables: Boil cubed raw jackfruit and plantain in salted water for 8 minutes until 70% cooked. Drain and keep aside.
3. Heat mustard oil: Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil until smoking. Reduce to medium.
4. Add panch phoron and aromatics: Add panch phoron — all five seeds crackle. Add bay leaves, dried red chilli and asafoetida. Sizzle 15 seconds.
5. Add ginger: Add ginger paste. Stir 1 minute.
6. Add spice powders: Turn to low. Add turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder. Stir 2 minutes.
7. Add the vegetables: Drain banana flower. Add banana flower, par-boiled jackfruit and plantain to the spiced oil. Stir to coat every piece.
8. Add fresh coconut: Add fresh grated coconut. Stir. The coconut will absorb the spiced oil and coat the vegetables.
9. Cook covered on low heat: Add 2 tbsp water. Add sugar and salt. Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes until all vegetables are completely tender. Open once to stir gently.
10. Finish dry: Uncover. Cook 3 minutes to evaporate any remaining moisture. The ghonto should be dry or almost-dry — no gravy. Add garam masala and ghee. Serve alongside steamed rice.
11. Note: Ghonto is the term for a Bengali mixed vegetable preparation where multiple vegetables are cooked together in a cohesive, dry or semi-dry form. The Bhog-style ghonto — made as an offering at temple celebrations — follows specific rules: no onion, no garlic, and a specific combination of vegetables that includes banana flower (mocha) which is considered auspicious. The complexity of cleaning and preparing banana flower makes ghonto a time-consuming but deeply respected preparation.