Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Raw banana (plantain) subzi




After disappering for a while, I am back with a nice recipe. These days I am cooking from this lovely book "Cooking at home with Pedatha". Pedatha has very simple and authentic recipes from Andhra.
This recipe is called Mustard flavoured vegetable (ava pettina koora (Telugu)).

Ingredients

2-Raw Bananas (diced medium)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste

The Paste

1 1/2 tsps mustard seeds
1 tbsp raw rice
1 inch piece ginger
1/4 cup coconut (grated)
1/4 cup coriander leaves

The Tempering

1/2 tsp split black gram (husked) (urad dal)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2-4 green chillies slit
curry leaves a few
asafoetida powder a pinch

Preparation

Boil the diced bananas in water along with turmeric powder till tender. Strain and set aside.
For the paste, Soak the mustard and rice in a little water. Grind into a fine paste and set aside.

In a wok, heat the oil for tempering. Add the gram; as it turns golden, add the mustard. Lower the flame and add the green chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida.
Add the boiled banana, paste and salt. Mix welland continueto cook for 3-4 minutes. Switch off the flame.

Serve with rice of rotis.


This picture is from the Pedatha book.



Pedatha says raw banana can be substituted with cabbage or sweet pumpkin.

We celebrated Jai's 5th birthday on 21st march with this lovely Madagascar theme cake!




I have always had great passion for Traditional Indian cookware like Copperware, brassware, soapstone pots and earthenwares.


Picture courtesy:copper-accessories.com


Here is an article written for Neivedyam by cookware.com on Indian cookware.

From Tandoor to Tabletop: Traditional Indian Cookware for a Healthy Lifestyle

The usage of traditional cookware materials has been integral in the centuries-long development in Indian and South Asian cuisine. In particular, cookware sets made of earthenware and brass have shown to be just as important as the ingredients themselves in many dishes because the materials enhance the complex flavors of the dishes being cooked. This is why traditional cooking still remains a part of life all over India, from the tandoor ovens of Punjab to the terra cotta pots in Manipur and Nagaland. But in addition to providing flavor these materials can also benefit your health as well. In this article, we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of cookware today that is made of traditional materials.

Earthenware and Ceramics

Ceramics have been used for cooking in India for over five thousand years, and the materials can vary a lot from region to region depending on the availability of materials. As mentioned above, one of the best things about ceramic and terra cotta cookware is that it brings out the flavor in many dishes, especially stews and other dishes that are simmered. Any type of earthenware is ideal for low-temperature cooking. And since the materials are not reactive, you don’t have to worry about toxins leaching their way into your food, making for dishes that are better tasting and healthier.

Ceramic and clay dishes are also easy to clean and are relatively inexpensive. However, they can be easy to break or chip and overall are not as durable as other types of cookware.

Copper and Brassware

Copper and brass has often been featured among the cookware and utensils of the wealthier households, particularly in Tamil Nadu. The reason why is simple, although these are some of the most expensive cooking materials, they are also the best. Copper and brass are nontoxic, conduct heat very well, and are stylish looking, making them very popular among professional chefs.

In addition their cost, both of these materials and copper in particular, are prone to scratching and may need to be polished often in order to maintain its appearance. But overall, copper and bronze provide best superior heat conductibility while remaining free of harmful toxins.

Aluminum and stainless steel have become popular in contemporary Indian cooking, as they are both affordable and durable. But sometimes it’s worth going to the basics. Aluminum unfortunately has the tendency to discolor and leach into food, as does nearly all types of nonstick materials. This is both bad for the flavor of the food and bad for your health. But if you stick to what worked best for centuries of Indian cooks, you’ll find yourself eating healthier and better tasting food at the same time.

45 comments:

amna said...

your pic looks so much like the original :)

Vani said...

That masala paste sounds so interesting. Gotta try this!

Vani said...

And a happy birthday to Jai! He'd have been so thrilled with the cake!

Preety said...

The dish sounds interesting..love the pics

Manju said...

like the addition of the masala paste with the raw rice and coriander leaves..looks really delicious!!

Finla said...

I will check out that site you gave about cookware, i love tha pot in thepic, if they sell them in the net i am sure going to buy them.

Finla said...

Forgot to say Happy belated b'day wished to your son.

Shama Nagarajan said...

lovely curry...belated wishes to ur son........nice article

Chitra said...

lovely post,looks yumm:)

FH said...

Happy 5th to him, bet he loved the cake! :)

Subzi looks great, love Plantains. Love the Kadai, love to collect those too! :)

Pavani said...

Good to see you back. Belated b'day wishes to the little one.. Hope you are all settled in. Lovely plantain recipe.

Ashwini said...

Happy Birthday wishes to the little one..Subzi looks yumm with that masala..Love that cute kadai..

Deepa Hari said...

Nice cake...Happy birthday to Jai...Plantain subzi looks yum and kadai looks great Sharmi.

Laavanya said...

That looks delicious Sharmi - my grandmother makes a similar curry with plantains.

Best wishes to your boy on his birthday - am sure he had a blast.

Vishali said...

nice platain curry Sharmi....love it...

TBC said...

Hey Sharmi,
I made this along with methi dal for dinner today. I followed your recipe for the most part....just didn't add the coriander leaves(not too crazy about it)and did not soak the mustard seeds and rice. But it was good even with all the minor changes. Thanks for the recipe... a nice change from the plantain thoran that I make usually.

Pritya said...

Dear Sharmi, Your pic really looks good enough to eat :). Glad you are enjoying cooking from our book.
Warm regards, P&J

A_and_N said...

Never tried this before! Will get plantain from the Farmer's Market this time around to try this :)

Sanghi said...

Oooh.. nice recipe.. Also the madagascar cake is lovely.. Belated wished to Jai..! the cookware is authenic..! Love it. Sharmi, do send some tomatish dishes to my FIL-Tomato event by 31st. Check my blog for details..!:)

Varsha Vipins said...

My hubby would just love this being the craziest lover of this veggie..:)
I loved the copper ware bowl so much..Where did u buy that from??

Jaishree Iyer said...

Lovely curry...that masala paste sounds so interesting. looks yum..belated b'day wished to your son.

Finla said...

Sharmi thankyou for the website info, will check them out.

Manasi said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I can see the cake pic now, wish I could have a slice!!!
Cooking with pedhatha is on my list ... everyone is raving about it, must be tops!!

Deepthi Shankar said...

Happy Birthday to Jai .. nice cake

Vineela said...

Happy Ugadi to you and your family.
vineela

Bong Mom said...

Happy B'Day to Jai, 5 already, wow. That cake is delicious

Pavani said...

Happy Ugadhi to you and your family Pooja.

Pavani said...

I made a mistake again with your name Sharmi.. So sorry..

vidhas said...

Plantian curry with this masala sounds great. !! surely try this next time.

Vishali said...

Belated Ugadi Wishes to you and ur family Sharmi

Usha said...

The masala paste for this subzi sounds very interesting, the subzi looks so inviting !

Vibaas said...

plantain subzi looks yummy. Belated birthday wishes to jai. hope he had a fun filled day!

Cynthia said...

Since I discovered Sailu's recipe with that coconut paste, it is the only way I want to eat my green plantains these days :)

Unknown said...

Lovely cake! And that is an authentic recipe.

Vanamala Hebbar said...

nice recipe..

Deepa Hari said...

Hi Sharmi,

I posted the roundup. Do check it out.

http://deepaskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/04/cooking-for-kids-potato-event-roundup.html

Cheers,
Deepa.

Dhanya Ganesh said...

Raw banana subzi looks yummy. Luved the pics :).

Vikis Kitchen said...

Your pics look so good. I too love our authentic vessels very much. Who won't. huh:) Happy Birthday to Jai. Thats a nice themed cake. Raw banana subzi seems yummy.

Raaga said...

lovely.. :-)

how are you?

Raaga said...

and did you make the cake for Jai... very nice.

happy birthday Jai

Kalyani said...

Happy B'day to Jai ... Cake looks great sharmi ........ First time commenting on ur blog .. ur site is very nice .....

Creativecook said...

Hi Sharmi,

Award for you on my blog!

Rinku

Rajesh &Shankari said...

I have not made vazhakai with the paste, I know my mom does something, but have never asked:)

Ramani Kasturi said...

hi!
i tried this sabji and there is raw musturd smell....how to take it off?

Sharmi said...

@ Pallavi Sorry for the delay in reply. Cooking will remove the mustard smell. It does not smell at all though but if you still get it then reduce the quantity:)