KACHCHA KELE
A FIVE MINUTE VEGAN SABJI WHERE GREEN BANANA STARS.
Green banana curries are commonplace in South India, where bananas of many varieties grow as easily as weeds. This kachcha kele ki sabji uses unripe red Keralan bananas to make an easy sabji that is vegan and ready in 5 minutes.
Find out more about green banana >
RECIPE DETAILS
Serves: 2 to 3 as part of an Indian meal
Prep time: 5 minutes.
Cooking time: 5 minutes.
Dietary Style: Gluten Free | Vegetarian | Dairy Free | Vegan
INGREDIENTS
BY THE STOVETOP
- a small bowl of cold water
FIRST STAGE MASALA
- 2 to 3 tbsp mustard oil
- a few pinches hing (asafoetida) powder
- 2 cloves
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 2 green bananas, finely diced
- 1 tsp fine white sea salt
SECOND STAGE MASALA
- 1/2 tsp cumin seed
- shy 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
METHOD
How to make our kachcha kele ki sabji recipe.
STEP 1
Heat the mustard oil in a kadai, heavy wok, or heavy-bottomed frying pan until hot. Add the first stage masala and temper until fragrant (you may have to take it off heat if it gets too hot). Add the green banana and stir through for a few minutes, until a little caramelised. Add the salt and cook another two minutes, sprinkling in some cold water to create steam: the steam pushes the masala through the produce, and also cools the oil to help the kele to stop sticking.
Taste now to make sure the salt is sufficient. Add a little more if necessary.
STEP 2
Add the second stage masala, and a little more cold water if necessary to stop the green banana sticking. Cook out for a further few minutes, tasting to make sure the masala is balanced. Top with fresh coriander. Serve with yoghurt and roti.
LEARN MORE ABOUT
GREEN BANANA
Can I use any type of green banana?
Not really. You need to use what are referred to as varieties of cooking bananas, or plantains. If you can find neither, better to make this sabji using potato or sweet potato.
What is green banana?
Green bananas refer to unripe bananas. The bananas we use in this recipe are Keralan red bananas, and their green flesh indicates a fruit that is starchier and more savoury than when ripe.
What does green banana taste like?
Green bananas meant for cooking will taste a little chalky, however the nature of this fruit means they retain an aromatic and floral quality even when unripe. The texture is not unpleasant—firm and a little springy.
What are the health benefits of green banana?
Green bananas have a lighter digestive weight. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, sees green bananas as being cooling for the body system: this means they are seen to cause less inflammation than ripe bananas. Inflammation is viewed by Ayurveda as one of the root causes of disease.
KITCHEN HACKS
