Recipe - Aratikaya pulusu bellam koora (Kacche kele ki khatta meeta sabzi)

Raw plantain cooked with sweet and sour sauce

Summary:

Plantains has high dietary fiber, vitamin c, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. It is good for people suffering with asthma, bronchitis, cancer. By eating plantain or banana, for diabetics, it temporarily increases the blood sugar and insulin level, and also due to the high dietary fiber may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Source: Puritan

Plantains can be used for cooking different types of food depending on the ripeness. Raw plantain can be used for making fritters, chips by deep frying, steam cooked to make curries. Every household, in southern India prepares raw plantain curry with variations. For example, small amounts of coconut or mustard paste/curry powder or mustard powder are added. The recipe given is the sweet (jaggery/sugar) and sour (tamarind) recipe, which is a very common recipe in Andhra cooking.

Ingredients

• Plantain - 1 and 1/2 large
• Chana dal - 2 teaspoons
• Urad dal - 2 teaspoons
• Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
• curry leaves 1 stalk
• Dry red chilli - 1
• Green Chilli - 2 (depending on the spice level)
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 teaspoon
• Jaggery/Sugar - 1 tablespoon
• Salt - 1/2 + 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric - 1/4 teaspoon
• Oil - 2 teaspoons
• Water - 1/2 + 1/4 cup

Process:

Pressure cook peeled and chopped plantain with 1/2 teaspoon salt and turmeric and 1/4 cup of water for 2 whistles. Set it aside.

Preheat oil in a medium bottom saucepan or wok on medium high temperature, add chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Let them splutter, add red chilli, green chillies and curry leaves.

Add cooked plantain, tamarind paste, jaggery, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup water, mix it well. cook on low heat till the plantain blends well with the sweet and sour sauce (approximately 15 minutes).

Serve hot with rice or roti.

Preparation time: 20 - 30 minutes
# Servings: 2