KELE PHODI (RAW BANANA SHALLOW FRY)

 KELE PHODI (RAW BANANA SHALLOW FRY) 

In my house, I make it a point to use raw/green/unripe bananas regularly in my cooking. Raw/Green Bananas are called Vazhakkai in Tamil, Balekayi in Kannada, Aratikaya in Telugu and Kaccha Kele in Hindi. 

I like this vegetable because the dishes are easy to make as it gets cooked fast. Raw/Green Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin B-6. They are supposed to be particularly good for diabetics as per this article in NDTV. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes using Raw Bananas such as:-

• Kele Koddel
• Raw Banana Stir Fry Kerala Style
• Swadisht Vegetable Rolls
• Raw Banana Roast 

Today's recipe is for a very easy to make , simple yet tasty shallow fried raw bananas which we call Kele  Phodi, in Konkani, my mother tongue. 

These are served as an accompaniment to the main meal. 

Ingredients:-

• Raw Banana, 1
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp or to taste
• Turmeric (Haldi) Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida ( Hing), 1/4 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Rice Flour, 2 tbsp for dusting 
• Semolina (Rawa), 2 tbsp, for dusting
• Oil, as required to shallow fry

Method:-

Wash and peel the raw/green banana , snip off both the ends and cut it into half

Next cut each of the halves vertically into slices which are not too thick or too thin

Keep these slices in a bowl of water for a few minutes so that they don't get discolored

Make a mixture of chilli powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt 

Drain the water from the banana slices

Apply the prepared mixture evenly on each of the slices and keep aside for marination for about 10 minutes

Make a mixture of Rice Flour and Semolina in a plate and dust each of the raw banana slices on both sides 

Heat a little oil in a thick-bottomed tawa 

On medium heat shallow fry the banana slices evenly by drizzling oil on and around the slices till they become golden brown in colour on both sides

Switch off the gas and transfer to serving plate 

Serve the Raw Banana Shallow Fry as an accompaniment to the main meal