Monday, March 29, 2010

Vazhaikai (plantain) curry

Vazhakai / valai kai means unripe banana / plantain. It is a practice of South Indians to make some spicy hot curry using unripe banana or potato along with the lesser spicy sambar and rice. Nevertheless to say this simple curry can brighten up an ordinary meal.

Unripe banana cubed with skin:


Vazhaikai curry:


Ingredients:
Unripe plantain - 2
onion (chopped) - 1/2 cup
tomato - 2
oil - 2 tbsp
fennel - 1/2 tsp
cilantro - a handful
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
turmeric - 1/8 tsp
chilly powder - 1 tsp
coriander powder - 2 tsp
garam masal powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - a gooseberry size

Method:
Wash and clean the banana. Scrub and remove the outer skin mildly. We can remove the skin completely but I prefer to keep the skin on.
Cut it into small cubes.

Extract tamarind juice using 1 cup water.
Cook the plantain in 1/2 tsp salt, 2 cup water , tamarind extract, turmeric powder.
Turn off heat when it is almost (90%) cooked. Drain the excess water.

Heat oil in a wok.Let the fennel get red.
Then fry onion to golden brown. Now add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell vanishes.Add the chopped tomato and fry till oil oozes.

Now add the cooked plantain , all the powders, salt to taste and cook till the masala smell turns good. Put off fire.

Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Valai kai masala curry is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve as side dish with any rice.

22 comments:

Ms.Chitchat said...

Delicious looking vazhaikai curry. I too love this and goes well with sambar rice. Click is perfect.

Tina said...

My all time fav veggie...Curry looks yummy..

Soma Pradhan said...

Nice comforting food..Thx for the compliment and visiting my other blog !!!!!!!!!!!!

Chitra said...

Never tried plantain curry in this way.looks very nice and will try for sure :)

Priya Suresh said...

Anything with plantain is my fav,prefect side dish for rasam na..

Subhie Arun said...

wow..i lov plaintain..urs looks spicy n yummy...will give a try soon..nice presentation!

Aruna Manikandan said...

My daughter's favorite....
Looks delicious

San said...

This is an ultimatum with curd rice.Lovely pic dear n pleasing as well.

Nithu Bala said...

Very tempting curry..different from my preparation..I should try soon..

Sarah Naveen said...

i love this curry..looks so yummy!!

Malar Gandhi said...

I made vazhaikai fry y'day...its good to see some native veggies in the market this time. Will try ur curry version too:)

Shama Nagarajan said...

delicious yummy curry

Sushma Mallya said...

Nice recipe viki and seems tasty too..

Finla said...

This reminds me of home, one of the dishes when mom had plantians in the garden. You are making me homesick now. Wish i had the bowl.

Gita Jaishankar said...

I have already tried this twice thanks to you dear :) nice click Viki...curry looks really good :)

Namitha said...

I love raw plantain..this is something new for me..got to try..thanks Viki :-)

Sashi said...

My favorite !! love to have with curd rice !!

Cicily Antony said...

Vazhaikai curry sounds deli

Anonymous said...

எனக்கு வாழைக்காய் கறி மிகவும் பிடிக்கும். கண்டிப்பாக அடுத்த தரம் உங்க முறையில் செய்து பார்க்கிறேன்.

Devasena Hariharan said...

looks delecious Viki!

Sashi said...

Hi Viki, Please grab the award I have shared with u here. My hearty wishes to you to receive more, Congrats !!

gtyuk said...

vaazhakkai curry is something I love too !!! your curry looks delectable ( as usual) Vicky!!! nice simple preparation!!!
I get very rarely some raw plantains here :(

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