The last few days have been strange – rather – unreal. I am down with the ‘flu. So what am I doing here, eh?. That’s the funny part. I am here with my first food recipe post – Raw Banana Roast Recipe.
I’ve been feeling hyperactive. Okay, more than usual. Must be the plain paracetamol or something. I’ve always believed being active leaves no room for sickness. Still, that cold sneaked in and turned into fever. Invariably when one of us falls sick at home, the other two stand in line. This time Sury started the thread and I faithfully followed. Hopefully, I will scare it away.
In the meantime, I have been going through hilarious phases. One moment, I am thinking – what to cook for lunch? And it seems like a major effort. Then, the minute I enter my kitchen, I feel totally energized and get going.
On Wednesday, I thought we’d order pizza. But it was Makara Sankranti – Pongal for us and there was no way I was going to compromise. So I made Venn pongal, chakra pongal and vadas and a happy meal was had by all. Made more vadas in the evening and ate what was left of lunch.
On Thursday, I thought we’d order pizza. Then I ended up making idlis for lunch. It was a working day. Then rotis, paneer tikka masala and bhindi (okra) fry for Sury and me. For dinner we had tomato lemon rasam and sprouts curry with rice, curd, papad. Yeah, I can’t survive without curd, but especially when I am sick.
On Friday, I thought we’d order pizza. We ate dosas in the morning for lunch. Soup later. I wondered about dinner, but one look in my fridge and I decided to make a mixed curry with onions, carrots, capsicum and cabbage – stir fried and we ate it, mixed with rice. I also made a quick chocolate cake.
Yep, I enjoy cooking. And? No meal is complete without curd, papad/poppadum and pickle. And it is usually either rice or roti.
On Saturday, we thought we’d order pizza. But heck. I had three raw bananas in the fridge – and I suddenly yearned for our beloved tomato-onion sambar. So I went ahead and made banana roast curry and sambar. We enjoyed it with our staple rice, papad, curd and pickle.
On impulse, I took a photo of the banana curry on my phone and uploaded it on Facebook. I was delighted when my friends asked for the recipe. Had me wishing it was something more complicated. I wrote the recipe and then – cleverly thought – hey, why not make it a blog post?
So here I am – with my first recipe post. If there is anything that does not make sense, please do ask and I’ll be happy to answer. This recipe is 100% vegetarian, because I am. And raw bananas are very good for health.
Raw Banana roast recipe
You need:
Raw bananas (I used three medium sized ones)
One tablespoon oil
Half a teaspoon of black mustard seeds
Half a teaspoon cumin seeds
One teaspoon coriander powder
Half a teaspoon pepper corn powder
Half a teaspoon cumin seed powder
Half a teaspoon turmeric powder
A quarter teaspoon asafoetida powder
A stalk of curry leaves
Salt to taste
Fresh grated coconut – one small cup – optional. coconut powder is good, too
A pan to cook the roast
How to make the raw banana roast recipe
So, wash the bananas. Slice off the stalk and tip.
Then dice it into one inch thick pieces (with skin) and put in a vessel with water.
Add a half the turmeric and a little salt and pressure cook. (I usually stack this with the rice and lentils in the pressure cooker).
(Don’t want to pressure cook? No problem. You can cook it in a pan on the stove. Remember to add a spoon of oil to the water along with the turmeric and a little salt..and keep checking. Don’t want them squishy. Not that they taste bad that way, but that’s a different recipe! My Grandma cooked them in a pan and then washed it and used it to roast it also!)
When the pressure cooker is ready to open, drain the water from the cooked banana and run the cooked banana in cold water.
Peel the skin – it comes off quite easy.
Dice it into thinner pieces – if they’re one inch thick cylinders, depending on how soft they are, slice them in two or three. Keep aside.
In a pan, warm the oil. Then add the black mustard seeds, let them sputter. Add the cumin seeds. Don’t want them turning black!
Turn down the flame of the stove and add turmeric, salt, cumin seed powder, pepper powder, coriander powder and asafoetida powder.
Mix the contents of the pan and watch them pleasantly bloom in the oil and enjoy the fragrance. Strip the stalk of curry leaves and add the leaves into the pan.
Mix.
Now add the slices of banana in the pan. I usually try to use the widest pan so that all pieces get an equal chance to roast. Gently mix. Flip the slices over. And over – a couple of times. Until they all start look delicious and you can’t wait to eat them.
The curry is done, but not quite.
Got the grated coconut? Now is the time to sprinkle it on. About a small cup of it. Gently mix.
No fresh coconut, but yes to the coconut powder in a packet? That’ll do too. Add half a cup and toss the pieces.
Time to indulge.
Notes:
In addition to the mustard seeds and cumin seeds, you can also add split bengal gram and black gram to the oil and let them turn golden. I don’t add those!.
You can make the raw banana roast recipe with different curry powders – but we like this best.
Questions? Please ask!
And oh, today we thought we’d order pizza. And we did.
Linking up with my favorite meme Sundays In My City hosted by UnknownMami – I love her!
Thank you very much, this food is very rich!
Saludos!
🙂 Saludos, Leovi. It only looks rich. It is very healthy and easy to make! 🙂
One of my favorites – although I’ve never cooked it before. Now I start hunting for green bananas in the market!
Glad you had the pizza too! 😉
Corinne, ever since we met, there’s not a single time I’ve cooked raw bananas and okra without thinking of you. 🙂 We all love it and make it often. You know I used to painstakingly peel the skin, cut it into pieces, etc. Then one day, in a hurry I just chopped one banana roughly into 5, skin and all and pressure cooked it. Imagine my stunned surprised when it was perfectly cooked and the skin came off easy. When I am too lazy to dress it up, I just mash it, add another pinch of salt and pepper and eat it off! It has a natural good taste! It is very good for health.
I have been down with pneumonia so I understand how it can sneak in and get you. I am impressed by how much you still did!
Hope you are better soon!
🙂
Traci
Traci, I hate to be in bed when I am sick. It is probably the meds, but I feel desperate to do things. 😀 I hope you get better soon, too! Love!
We don’t order pizza since the children left home.
Awww, Judy. Hugs! I understand.
Banana Curry!
I will never make, but I must come to your house so you can make for ME!!!
Yum.
Love you more than 5 kittens in fluffy white blankets and bananas.
Xxx
My home and heart are always open for you, Kim! You know it. That’s such a lovely scene for me to visualize! Hugs! Love you loads!
This is great Vidya! I love to cook and will definitely try this!
Happy Sunday!
Great, Betsy! I know you’ll enjoy it! Love to you!
Saw and heard about this recipe for the first time through you, Vidya! Raw bananas are so rarely seen here. Looks interesting. We had Pizza yesterday and are just back from Dasaprakash. Dosa, Uttapam and Idli are the only SI dishes we have regularly! 😀
I am surprised, Shilpa! And how interesting to hear about a Dasaprakash. Decades ago, I used to love the Chennai one for its amazing ice-creams and dosas. 🙂 I hope you will visit me and then, I’ll pamper you with all our stuff!
Dearest Vidya. Is there no end to your talents? You amaze me. This recipe looks very yummy. Thanks for sharing! I hope you are feeling much better very soon. It sounds like cooking is therapeutic for you. Hugggsss
Indeed, Terri. I was surprised to find myself feeling energetic in the kitchen! Very productive and a good situation for all of us, especially when we could do without outside food! It is a good thing I had stocked up just before we fell sick. Actually a classmate of mine suggested I post some of our home food recipes – she loved eating at our place. And I thought, why not!
Hugs! 😀 So good to see you!
I am always intrigued by the ways that bananas can be eaten. Right now, my stomach is sick, so I am not going to dwell on the details, but the ideas are intriguing. Pizza? I love it, too.
Incidentally, Laurie, raw banana, cooked is very good for the tummy. The amazing thing about the banana plant is – every part is super-useful and healthy! We eat the flower, the fruit, the stem and use the leaves as plates!
I hope your tummy gets well soon. Celebrate with a pizza!
aaaaah, I can smell it…lovely!
Spices in India are out of this world – sooooo good!
ps. my eye feels very normal already. I just put a drop of antibiotics three times a day, that’s it. Feels like I didn’t have any ‘operation’ – ‘Lasik’ is easy and quick.
Have a good week ahead!
Ah yes, have heard about lasik, BLOGitse. It was great to read you won’t need glasses!
Indian food…yep! 😀 Apparently there is research to prove that the South Indian meal is the most balanced. 🙂
Have a great week!
As I read this, my husband and son are on their way home with PIZZA. I’ll think of you and wish for you to get well soon.
Thank you, Tara! Feeling better already. It is just the damn cold that’s getting on my nerves now!
Enjoy your pizza! 😀
You are multi-talented Vidya! I love any sort of curry, and I had never thought of bananas, so this is a must try 🙂 Hugs for a complete recovery very soon 🙂
I love curries too, Carolyn! I started cooking when I was 9 and I love to make simple stuff. Thank you for your kind wishes. I adored your latest post! Love!
This recipe looks delicious! I never thought to roast bananas with spices, so this is definitely something I want to try!
Yay! Jessica! 🙂 I am sure you’ll like it. It is so easy to make and comes out real nice!
Hi VIdya,
This recipe sounds interesting. I love bananas and tumeric is new favorite spice of mine. Have not used asafoetida before, but will give it a try!
Thanks Cathy! We never cook without turmeric. Besides, it is a very long list of health benefits! Same with asafoetida – in fact our cooking is distinguishable with it 😀
Would love to know how you liked the recipe!
I love bananas but never had roast bananas. thanks for the recipe.
Raw bananas are very good for health, Suzy! Do try and let me know how you liked it!
I too make this raw banana roast and have it with rice-sambhar mixed with ghee. Yummy. But i boil the raw bananas in the open pan and do not pressure cook it.
Same here, Kalpana. Sometimes I do that too but if there is space in the cooker, I prefer to fill it, shut it and forget it! 😀
So finally you had the pizza!! Loved the recipe. Will certainly try it out. How come you get all energised when you fall ill?? I lie around moaning and groaning and wishing it would go away. You never cease to amaze Vidya.
Oh Tulika, I drive my people up the wall with my restlessness. I can’t help it! So these days I try to confine myself to the kitchen during these periods and become productive. Win-win for all.
😀 Tuned that way.
Hugs!
Looks yummy. And I loved the pics, labeled and all 🙂
A friend of mine had no idea what black mustard seeds were,Jas. So I thought it is a good idea to take pics and label them 😀
Thanks for dropping by! And yes – this is a favorite at home.
hai
how well have you put up this simple everyday recipe and got kudoos so its all amatter of presentatation I yet have not gotten to writing a cook blog simple I dont know how to go about .
how about me writing a recipe for you and you host it on a joint site .What say!!!!
hugs & cheers
love gita
Exactly, Gita! My Grandmom and Mom would have both smiled right through this post! But then, it is a favorite – and I realized what’s easy and common for me is not for others! In fact many people have no idea that raw banana can be cooked!
I would be honored to host any recipe of yours right here! 😀 I have all the pictures of that delicious and fantastically presented lunch you treated us to! Just write the recipe and take a few photos through the process and the final dish and email me! 😀 Hugs!
I’m so happy you’re putting your recipes up at last Vidya. All those mouthwatering dishes you’ve taken pics of always left me drooling. Now I know how to make one of them. We went out for an Indian meal last night at the only halfway decent Indian restaurant in town. The spices in the food seem to raise my vibration. No idea why…but I really, really like it.
Hope you’re feeling better soon, but heavens to betsy when you’re 100% what will you get up to then?
The only way I eat bananas are the chips. *hides*
Gosh, I love them to death. Let’s run away with a HUGE bag and blast some 80’s music and finish it off!
Great combination of my two favorite foods, Vidya, banana and curry!! Thanks for sharing!
Reading your post made me so hungry 🙂 I have lived in Kerala for 12 years and love south Indian food. My son eats only dosas, uthapams and idlis for breakfast even though we are punjabis 🙂 I make my own batter at home at least twice a week.Will try making your raw banana recipe.
Vidya! I hope you’re feeling better!
You had me laughing. We’re the opposite! I would say, “I feel like making…(insert recipe here),” and then I’d probably end up ordering pizza. You had me laughing — thinking about ordering pizza, then making something. Too funny.
I love this! Please continue to share your recipes with us! You know how much I love them!
Good luck with the blogging contest/nomination! I hope you are selected! 🙂
From the idea of pizza to this…very different I would say. And very different this recipe, so interesting to me as it is so authentic, I’m not even sure I could find the ingredients in this mecca we call Sonoma County CA USA. I will have to check with my chef friends. The bananas appear to be what we could call “plantains” not a regular banana…
Handy little recipe there Vidya. Hope there are more to follow 🙂 By the way, you’re like this super talented person, who dabbles in everything, writing, cooking, supermom, health…woah !
I am completely intrigued by your recipe!! I am going to have to give this a whirl. Thank you! ♥
I made the same Raw banana fry the same day for dinner!! 😀
And the rest of your menus just made me crave for curd and sambar! 😛
I’m off curd for the time being – since I have a sore throat..
Thanks Vidya
Your Raw banana recipe works just fine with me..in fact more than just fine.I love the thick ,copious taste of starch as i bite into this delectable dish.We make it with a little zeera(cumin) at home.And the banana pakoras are another great hit.
Thanks
Mona