Balekai Palya (Plantain Subji/Curry)

Painting of Plantain

In Mangalore, my native, you will always find one or more Banana plants growing in backyard. Plantain is the one which you will find in everyday use, be in its leaves, flower or fruit. There must be some hundreds of recipies for cooking plantain and everytime you will stumble on more recipes. For me its a best substitue for Potatoes(except when it comes to peeling its skin). In my cooking espcially South Indian recipes I use them quite a lot. Yesterday I made Avial and Balekai Palya for dinner. They taste heaven with rice and ghee.

Balekai Palya

Ingredients:
2 cups of Plantain, peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 cup of grated coconut
1 big Onion, sliced thinly
Few Coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp Tarmaric powder
Salt to taste
1 tbls Oil

To Grind to Smooth Paste
1 tblsp Jeera/Cumin seeds
2-3 Green chillies (According to taste
2-3 garlic cloves
1 small Onion

For Seasoning:
1 tsp Mustard
1 tsp Urad dal
1 Dry red chilli
2-3 Galric cloves, chopped
1 tbls Oil

Balekai Palya

Method:
Cook diced Plantain in a cup of water with salt and tarmaric powder till it becomes tender.
In a mixi grind all the ingredients mentioned above to smooth paste with as little water as possible.
In a kadai season all the ingredients till they splutter.
To this add sliced onions and garlic pieces and fry tillthey turn golden yellow.
Add cooked plantain to this and ground paste.
Mix them well and cook in medium flame till all water is absorbed.
Garnish them with coriander leaves before serving.
Serve hot with chapaties or rice.

Balekai Palya served with Rice