This is an age old recipe, which we used to enjoy during our childhood. Usually my paternal aunt used to make this curry by using the small variety of banana. Banana I have used is home grown, small variety which we call as Kadali / Yelakki banana. Non-ripe, green one.
This curry is prepared using little bit of Toor dal and good amount of pepper for heat. Plantain pepper curry is tangy, spicy and little bit sweet all at the same time. This curry goes along with plain rice with a dollop of ghee or Coconut oil.
Ingredients:
Plantain/Raw banana – 7-8 (if it is small variety) 1 or 2 (if it is big variety)
Toor dal – ¾ cup
Salt – to taste
Jaggery – 1 to 2 tsp.
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp.
Tamarind – 1 small lemon size.
For masala: Toor dal – ½ tsp, Fenugreek seeds-¼ tsp, coriander- 1tsp, Cumin – ½ tsp, black pepper – 2 tsp, garlic – 5 -6 cloves, coconut- 2 tsp.
Seasoning: Coconut oil – 2tsp, mustard -1 tsp, Cumin – ½ tsp, red chillies -1 to 2, curry leaves –little.
Method:
-Cook toor dal in sufficient water and keep aside.
– Peel banana and chop it into a tiny bit, immerse in water to avoid discoloration.
– Now take one vessel and prepare tamarind water (by putting tamarind in 2 cups of water). Keep it for boiling.
-To this, add salt, red chilli powder, jaggery, and turmeric powder. When it starts boiling, add banana bits by draining the water in which it was immersed.
-Now prepare masala by roasting toor dal, fenugreek, coriander, Cumin, pepper and garlic with little oil (preferably coconut oil) .
-When dal becomes light brown, remove from the flame and grind this into a smooth paste with coconut.
– When banana is done, add cooked dal, ground paste, required amount of water (adjust according to your requirement), check for salt and sweetness.
-Boil this mixture and add seasoning by using all seasoning ingredients.
-Serve with hot rice with dollop of ghee or coconut oil.