Vazhakkai fry recipe with step by step photos – mildly spiced and slightly crisp South Indian style banana fry made with unripe bananas or plantains. A no onion no garlic and vegan recipe.
I usually buy unripe banana or plantains when I go for veggie shopping. Some of the recipes that I make with them are:
- Raw banana fry (Kerala style)
- Vazhakkai poriyal
- Vazhakkai varuval
This recipe of vazhakkai fry accompanies sambar-rice or rasam-rice or dal-rice very well. You can also have them plain or with chapatis. The recipe is easy, but does need attention. So do prepare when you are cooking some other dish also.
How to make vazhakkai fry
1. Rinse 4 small to medium-sized raw unripe bananas first (300 grams). Peel them lightly. I usually remove the black spots and keep the peels as they are. Slice them in thin rounds and add them in a bowl containing water + a bit of salt (about ¼ tsp salt), so that they don’t darken. After you slice, then immediately add them in the bowl of water.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a shallow frying pan. Keep the flame to a low or medium and add ½ tsp mustard seeds. Saute till the mustard seeds crackle.
3. Then add 6 to 7 curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida.
4. Stir.
5. Now add the sliced bananas.
6. Mix the bananas with the rest of the tempered ingredients.
7. Add ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
8. Mix the spice powders very well with the banana slices.
9. Spread the banana slices evenly on the pan, so that they get cooked evenly.
10. Don’t cover with any lid and saute the bananas on a low flame. Do stir at intervals after 5 to 6 minutes for even cooking. Also, turn slices and cook the sides which look uncooked or not roasted or crisp.
11. cook till the slices become crisp towards the edges. Not all slices will become crisp, but most of them will be. when the banana slices are cooked, sprinkle salt. Mix well.
12. Add 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves and mix. For a slight tang, you can add some lemon juice at this step.
Serve vazhakkai fry with sambar-rice or rasam-rice or dal-rice very well. You can also have them plain or with chapatis.
Few more Veggie recipes
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Vazhakkai Fry (Banana Fry)
Ingredients
- 300 grams unripe banana sliced or 4 small to medium-sized raw unripe plantains or vazhakkai
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 6 to 7 curry leaves
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- salt as required
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
Instructions
peeling and slicing vazhakkai (raw bananas)
- Rinse 4 small to medium sized raw unripe bananas first (300 grams). Peel them lightly. I usually remove the black spots and keep the peels as they are.
- Slice them in thin rounds and add them in a bowl containing water + a bit of salt (about 1/4 tsp salt), so that they don't darken.
making vazhakkai fry
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a shallow frying pan. Keep the flame to a low or medium and add ½ tsp mustard seeds. Saute till the mustard seeds crackle.
- Then add 6 to 7 curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida. Stir.
- Now take the bananas from the water and add them.
- Mix the bananas with the rest of the tempered ingredients.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder.
- Mix the spice powders very well with the banana slices.
- Spread the banana slices evenly on the pan, so that they get cooked evenly.
- Don't cover with any lid and saute the bananas on a low flame.
- Do stir at intervals for even cooking. Turn slices and cook the sides which look uncooked or not roasted or crisp.
- Cook till the slices become crisp towards the edges. Not all slices will become crisp, but most of them will be.
- When the banana slices are cooked, sprinkle salt. Mix well.
- Add 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves. Mix well. For a slight tang, you can add some lemon juice at this step.
- Serve vazhakkai fry with sambar-rice or rasam-rice or dal-rice very well. You can also have them plain or with chapatis.
Notes
- The recipe can be doubled or tripled.
Wow, sooo good! I really like the texture of the bananas when they’re cooked like this. It was my first time cooking with unripe/green bananas
thanks cedric. the texture of unripe bananas when stir fried or sautéed is too good. you can also try some more unripe banana recipes.