Chop the nendran banana into small pieces. Ripe banana is preferred for this recipe.
Chop ripe pineapple into small pieces.
Take a kadai or a pan and add in the chopped nendram bananas. Add in the pineapple pieces too.
Add some little turmeric powder, red chilli powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder for colour, little salt and some sugar. If the pineapple is not very sweet, you might need to add a little bit more sugar. Add in the water and mix well to combine. We will be cooking this mixture on a low flame for about 15 minutes. It’s important to cook on a low flame so the pineapple and banana cook soft and flavourful. Mix once in a while so the mixture does not scorch at the bottom. Add little water if the mixture looks dry. After 15 minutes, the pineapple and bananas should be cooked to a soft texture. Mash the mixture using a potato masher. Make sure there are small bits left behind for the texture. The pineapple nendram masala is now cooked. Taste the masala and adjust for salt or sugar at this stage if necessary.
At this stage, let’s make a tempering for the pineapple nendram masala.
Heat coconut oil in a small kadai. Add in a few broken cashews to the oil. Roast on a low flame for a few seconds. Add in the mustard seeds, some fresh curry leaves, and some dried red chillies. Let the mustard seeds crackle and the curry leaves become crisp.
Add the tempering to the pineapple nendram masala. Mix well to combine. Our pineapple nendram masala is ready. This relish can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Serve as an accompaniment for a traditional south indian lunch.