Balekkayi Palya/Kacchhe Kele ki Sabji/Raw Banana Stir Fry

I'm used to eat any dish that my mom makes. May be out of veggies that we get from farm at my grand mom's place or store brought ones. She knows all traditional dishes may be because of the lifestyle they followed when she was a kid. And I very much love those dishes when compared to modern ones. One such favorite dish of mine is using raw banana, balekkayi palya as we call in our language. Whenever I used to ask what are the variations in certain dishes that she brings which make the dish more tasty, she clearly explains me saying the reason behind of adding or not certain ingredients to a curry. It is individual taste which matters but in case of dishes almost me and my mom used to share similar. So never got bored of what she prepares. She tells, for balekkayi palya the seasoning given should be generous else it doesn't taste good. I followed the way she used to prepare and I was very happy with the outcome. It tastes fabulous with rice, I can even eat them as filling for sandwiches replacing potatoes. Anyways lets move on to the recipe.

Ingredients:
Raw banana-2
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder-1/2 tsp
Green chillies-1 slit lengthwise
Tamarind ball-grape sized
Jaggery-1/2 '' cube
Curry leaves-2 sprigs
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Udad dal/Skinned split black gram-2 tsp
Whole red chilly-1
Water-1 1/4 cup+ 2 cups to soak
Oil-3 tbsp.
Salt to taste

Recipe:

1. Peel the outer skin and then chop them into small pieces and drop them to a bowl filled with 2 cups of water and tamarind ball to prevent discoloration of the chopped banana pieces and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
2. In a pan add 1-2 tbsp. of oil and when hot add the chopped banana pieces and sauté.
3. Now add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, jaggery, green chilly and 1/2 cup water, mix well. Cover and cook for a while.
4. Now open and add salt, remaining water and continue cooking till the banana is completely cooked.
5. Remove and keep it aside.
6. In another kadai/pan, prepare seasoning, (most important for this dish). For that add remaining oil, when hot add mustard seeds, udad dal and as they splatter add whole red chilly and sauté.
7. Remove it off the flame and add in 8-10 curry leaves to the seasoning mixture prepared. Be careful while adding curry leaves as not to let the oil splatter. Always cover the seasoning mixture after adding curry leaves for a while till the splattering reduces.
8. Gently pour this seasoning on to the sabji prepared. Mix well.
9. Serve hot with rice. Also enjoy this as a filling for sandwich.

For pictorial step by step recipe do click on pictures below

I placed a ball of tamarind in 2 cups of water followed by cleaned the raw banana. Then I peeled the bananas, chopped them as in the pic below.

 

I then added oil, sautéed the chopped banana pieces, followed by turmeric powder, red chilly powder, green chillies, jaggery, water and cooked covering for a while. Then added salt and remaining water and cooked further till they were fully cooked. Then I prepared the seasoning with oil, mustard seeds, udad dal, red chilly and curry leaves.I then poured the seasoning on top of the dish.

 

 

 

Enjoy the dish! n don't forget Eat and Eat little MORE.. :)

Sending this to Guru's Cooking