Vaazhaikai Podimas / Raw Banana Podimas / Vazhaikai Podimas / Aratikaya Curry

Raw Banana / Vaazhaikai / Arattikaya could be used in numerous ways in South Indian Cuisine. Though I make different versions at home, I completely wanted to give a twist to the regular podimas curry and upgrade its taste. This version of my raw banana curry was initially a simple try but ended up making it often at home as its liked by my family ( mainly due to its simplicity). Method is very simple and takes less preparation time.!! And above all, its not a high caloric curry as its made with less oil and steam cooked veggie. Try this out in your kitchen and enjoy the exotic flavour of this curry with a cup of hot rice and rasam. 

Ingredients

Raw Banana / Vaazhaikkai / Arattikaya - 4 Big
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - To Taste
Hing / Asafoetida - 1 Dash
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds / Jeera - 1 tsp
Urad Dal / Ulutham Paruppu - 2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 5 or 6
Coriander Leaves - To Garnish
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp ( Optional ) or Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp ( Optional )

Its optional and it purely depends on your taste buds. If the green chillies spiciness is just enough for your taste, you can leave this powder. If you want your curry to be more spicy, then you could choose either red chili powder or black pepper powder and add accordingly.

To Grind
Green Chillies - 3 Medium
Fresh Coconut Flakes - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 6 or 7 Big Pods

Method

• Peel the skin and steam cook them in microwave or outside on a stove. Meantime, grind a paste of green chillies, fresh coconut flakes and garlic pods and keep it aside.
• Grate the cooked raw banana and keep them ready.
• In a frying pan / kadai, add oil first. When its heated, add Hing, mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal and curry leaves in order and fry them on a medium flame. 
• Then add the grounded paste into the kadai and fry them gently on a low flame. When its fried for 3-4 minutes, add the turmeric powder and the grated raw banana and mix them well. 
• Add required amount of salt and allow them to cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes with the lid on.
• Allow them to fry openly for another 2-3 minutes and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.

Tips / Variations 

Fry the grounded paste till the raw smell of the garlic goes off. Make sure that it does not turn black at the bottom.
To make it more special, add a handful of peanuts / groundnuts just after tempering. Fry the groundnuts thoroughly before adding the grated raw banana into the kadai.