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Cooking Banana Stem (Thor): The Edible Inner Core

An elderly woman chops and seasons banana stem with salt before cooking it in the traditional Bengali style, using various spices over a wood-fired stove in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on April 10, 2026. The banana stem, known as Thor, is a fibrous, edible core of the banana plant stem, commonly used in Bengali and Indian cuisine for its crunchy texture and nutritional benefits. It is often prepared as Thor Ghonto, a dry curry with coconut, or fried. (Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto)

Photo ID	#13557217
Date Taken	10 April 2026
Location	N/A
Photographer	Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto
Category	Human Interest
Copyright	© 2026 NurPhoto - Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto

Banana stem Thor fibrous edible core banana plant Bengali cuisine Indian cuisine crunchy texture nutritional benefits high fiber iron potassium Thor Ghonto dry curry coconut fried Thor'er Ghonto traditional dish potatoes spices tough outer layers sliced core fibrous strings water soaking browning prevention parboil steam salt turmeric tender slices sauté cumin ginger digestion aid chopped seasoned Bengali style wood-fired stove Tehatta West Bengal India Soumyabrata Roy NurPhoto.