Kola Khar Raw Banana

Method

1. 1

   About Kola Khar: Raw banana cooked in alkaline khar is the most common everyday khar dish of rural Assam. Banana plants grow abundantly in the Assamese countryside and the unripe fruit is treated almost as a vegetable. The combination of starchy raw banana and the mineral khar liquid produces a unique earthy flavour you cannot get any other way.

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   Understand khar: Khar is an alkaline cooking liquid traditionally made from sun-dried banana peel ash filtered through water. As a beginner, you can make a simple substitute by dissolving 1/2 tsp baking soda in 2 cups of water — that is your khar solution. If you have authentic Assamese khar (kolakhar), use 2 tbsp.

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   Choose the right bananas: Use raw, firm green bananas — the kind sold as cooking plantains in Indian and Caribbean stores. They should feel hard, with peel that is bright green or just turning yellow at the tips. Soft yellow bananas will turn to mush in the alkaline liquid.

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   Peel the bananas: Trim the ends with a knife. Score the peel lengthwise along its ridges in 4-5 places. The peel of raw banana is thick and resistant — peel it back in sections by sliding your thumb under the cut edges. Some people rub a little oil on their hands first, as the cut peel can stain skin and surfaces.

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   Slice the bananas: Cut the peeled bananas into 1cm thick rounds. Drop the slices into a bowl of cold water immediately as you cut, with a few drops of lemon juice — raw banana flesh oxidises and turns dark grey within seconds of being cut.

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   Prepare the green chilli: Take 1 green chilli. Slit lengthwise from tip to stem, leaving the stem intact. Remove the seeds for a milder dish.

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   Chop the coriander: Take a small handful of fresh coriander leaves. Wash, shake dry and roughly chop. Set aside.

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   Heat the khar: Pour the khar solution (or baking soda water) into a heavy-bottomed pan or pot. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer — small bubbles around the edges, not a rolling boil. Use a stainless steel or enamel pot, never aluminium, as the alkali reacts with it.

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   Add the banana slices: Drain the banana slices and add to the simmering khar. Add the slit green chilli. The slices should be just covered by the liquid; add a little more water if needed.

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    Cook gently: Reduce heat to medium-low. Let the bananas cook in the simmering khar for 12-15 minutes. The slices will gradually turn from white to a soft cream-grey colour. Stir very gently once or twice — the slices break easily as they soften.

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    Check doneness: A perfectly cooked banana slice should pierce easily with a fork but still hold its round shape. If still firm in the centre, cook 2-3 minutes longer. Do not let them collapse to a mush.

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    Drain carefully: Place a colander over a heatproof bowl. Tip the contents through gently. Discard the khar liquid. Reserve the chilli with the bananas.

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    Dress while warm: Transfer the drained banana slices to a serving dish. Drizzle 1 tsp raw mustard oil over them. The hot bananas release the mustard oil aroma immediately — it is the defining smell of this dish.

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    Season and garnish: Sprinkle salt to taste — usually 1/2 tsp is plenty, since khar already provides a faint mineral salinity. Toss extremely gently with a flat spoon to coat. Scatter chopped coriander on top. Serve warm alongside steamed rice as a starter dish, traditionally eaten before the main curries to settle the stomach.