Kehel Mul (Colombo-style Banana Flower Curry)
A sophisticated Sri Lankan-inspired curry featuring the delicate, artichoke-like texture of banana blossom cooked in rich ghee and coconut milk. This traditional preparation involves a meticulous cleaning process with lemon and salt to remove bitterness, resulting in a tender, savory vegetable dish spiced with mustard, fenugreek, and black pepper. The creamy coconut milk sauce and aromatic spices create a comforting and elegant main course perfect for pairing with rice.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Banana flower (large) (Originally '1 Seer'. Select a large flower with fresh red petals.)
- 1 pound Onions (Originally '1 Seer'. Finely sliced.)
- 1 cup Ghee (Originally '0.5 Seer'. Can be reduced if preferred, but historical recipe is rich.)
- 1 teaspoon Coriander-Cumin powder (Dhana-Jira) (Heaping teaspoon.)
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Heaping teaspoon.)
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Heaping teaspoon.)
- 1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds (Flat teaspoon.)
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper (Ground. Flat teaspoon.)
- 1 whole Coconut (large) (For grating and extracting milk.)
- 6 whole Lemons (Juice only. Used for cleaning the flower and seasoning.)
- 5 whole Green chilies (Large size, finely chopped.)
- 3 teaspoons Salt (Plus more to taste. The 3 teaspoons are specifically for rubbing into the flower during prep.)
Instructions
- 1Grate the coconut using a fine grater. Set half of the grated coconut aside. Take the remaining half and extract the coconut milk: add small amounts of hot water (approx. 1/4 cup at a time) and grind or squeeze the coconut on a stone or in a bowl 2-3 times to extract all the milk. Discard the fibrous residue.
- 2Remove the outer dark purple leaves (bracts) and the florets underneath until you reach the pale, tender heart and the red flower tip remains. Wash the flower thoroughly. Cut off the pointed tip at the bottom. Slice the flower lengthwise into four pieces, then chop it very finely (like a coarse mince). Weigh out approx. 1 pound (1 Seer) of this chopped flower.
- 3In a bowl, combine the chopped banana flower with 3 heaping teaspoons of salt and the juice of 2 lemons. Rub and knead the mixture vigorously with your hands to draw out the bitterness. Afterward, wash thoroughly with cold water, squeeze out all the liquid, and dry it as much as possible.
- 4Wash and finely chop the green chilies. Peel the onions and slice them very thinly (like vermicelli). Divide the sliced onions into two equal portions.
- 5Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed or tin-lined vessel. Add one portion of the sliced onions and fry until softened. Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, turmeric, coriander-cumin powder, ground pepper, and chopped green chilies. Stir well. Add the prepared banana flower and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the extracted coconut milk and simmer until the flower is tender and the flavors have melded. Season with additional salt and lemon juice to taste if needed.