Bananas are very popular as wonderful curries and gravies are prepared using the banana when it is raw. Banana Fruits and Banana Leaves are generally a must in auspicious and religious occasions in the South of India. Bananas are rich in Vitamin B, C, Manganese and Potassium.
Consumption of Bananas is said to reduce some forms of cancers as well as reduce the risk of strokes too!!
So when you get a chance, grab a banana fruit which is easy to peel and devour!!!!!!!
This dish is one of the most exotic, nutritious and wholesome dry curry as it is a combination of lentils and vegetables. This dish is widely popular using the Banana Flower and I have used the raw banana which tastes absolutely delicious!!
Ingredients to serve 6 people
1½ Cups Peeled and chopped into fine pieces
1 cup Water (to cook the vegetable)
½ Cup Toor Dal
¼ Cup Channa Dal or Yellow Split Peas
2 Cups Water (to soak the dals)
1-2 Red Chillies
½ Tsp. Turmeric Powder
1-2 Tsp. Salt
For Seasoning
2 Tbs. Oil
1 Tsp. Mustard Seeds
1 Tsp. Urad dal
¼ Tsp. Asafoetida Powder
Few Sprigs Curry Leaves
Preparation
Soak the toor dal, channa dal, red chillies in about 2 cups of water for 2-3 hours
Drain the water and grind the above into a soft mixture
Steam the ground mixture in a pressure cooker for 5 minutes (without placing the weight)
To ensure that the curry is light and fluffy, follow the method of breaking the dal as it is outlined in the recipe, which has never failed me in more than 2 decades!!
When it cools down, scoop a tablespoon of the mixture, add a drop of oil and blend it for a few seconds in the blender.
The mixture turns powdery. Repeat the process for the entire mixture and keep aside.
In the meantime add water in a pan and cook the chopped vegetable with the turmeric for about 5 minutes or until cooked – Drain any water and set aside
Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds crackle, add the urad dal, asafoetida powder and curry leaves
Fry it till the urad dal turns golden brown.
Add the powdered mixture and fry for a couple of minutes
Gently fold in the cooked vegetable and salt.
Saute it on a low flame for 3 minutes.
Note: There is another method of breaking up the soft mixture in order that it becomes powdery. Add the soft mixture directly into the heated pan with the seasoning.
Gently stir the mixture on a medium flame till it starts to break up and becomes powdery but this consumes a lot of oil and my preference is to use the method described in this recipe
Tastes delicious as an accompaniment to Mor Kozhambu or like my family, you can mix it with plain rice too!!
The other vegetables that can be used to make this dish are cabbage, banana flower, beans , green capsicum, choko, broccoli, and zucchini