Tamil style recipe for Sutta Vazhakkai Podi – Smoked Raw Banana Stir Fry Recipe made with onions and spices. Raw Banana Podimas fry / spiced roast recipe.
Sutta Vazhakkai podi is an excellent side dish for rice. The raw bananas are smoked and then roasted in a spice mix until it resembles a coarse idli podi. Its so flavourful and goes extremely well with rice. Here is the recipe for Sutta Vazhakkai Podi – Smoked Raw Banana Stir Fry.
Charring the Vazhakkai / Raw banana for podi roast
First lets prep the vazhakkai / raw banana. You will need the raw plantain variety for this recipe. Wash and clean the raw banana. Apply a little oil to the skin for it to roast evenly.
Keep the oiled raw banana directly on a gas flame. Keep turning the raw banana every couple of minutes so it gets charred evenly. If you do not like the smoky flavour, you can also steam the raw bananas and proceed with the recipe. At home, I love smoked anything while my husband and son vehemently refuse as they hate the smoky flavour.
It will take about 5-6 minutes for the raw bananas to be completely charred.
Note: The gas stove and the burner are going to be a little messy with the charred ash. A little clean up will be due. Heads up on that.
Once the raw bananas are charred, remove from flame and let it rest on a plate for a couple of minutes. Peel the skin with a knife. Wash the raw banana if the ash is sticking to the flesh. Set aside.
Masala for Vazhakkai Podi
Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the chana dal and the urad dal. Roast on a low flame. Add in the dried red chillies, curry leaves and tamarind when the lentils are roasted half way.
Once the lentils are nice and golden, add in the coconut. Saute for a few seconds and remove the pan from heat. Transfer the contents to a mixie jar. Instead of fresh coconut, dessicated coconut also works well in this recipe.
Grind the mixture in a small mixie jar to a coarse powder. Do not add any water while grinding. Pulse several times stopping inbetween to mix the masala in the mixie jar so it gets powdered evenly. Finally add in the charred and peeled raw banana and pulse it for a few seconds. Set aside.
Tempering the Vazhakkai Podi
Heat coconut oil in a pan (preferably non-stick) and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves, fennel seeds (sombu) and broken cashewnuts. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the finely chopped onion and the salt. Saute till the onions are nice and golden.
Once the onions are cooked, add in the ground mixture to the pan.
Add in the turmeric and the jaggery. Jaggery is optional but that little sweetness nicely balances the sourness from the tamarind and rounds out the flavour. Keep the flame on low and roast everything for a good 10-12 minutes. Keep breaking the lumps and roast till the mixture is dry.
Raw banana stir-fry / sutta vazhakkai podi roast is ready. Serve hot with rice.
- 2 raw bananas / vazhakkai (raw plantain variety)
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 2 tablespoon chana dal
- 1 teaspoon urad dal
- 3 dried red chillies
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- a small marble sized piece of tamarind
- ¼ cup fresh shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 4-5 cashewnut
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon jaggery
- Keep the oiled raw banana directly on a gas flame. Keep turning the raw banana every couple of minutes so it gets charred evenly. It will take about 5-6 minutes for the raw bananas to be completely charred.
- Once the raw bananas are charred, remove from flame and let it rest on a plate for a couple of minutes. Peel the skin with a knife. Wash the raw banana if the ash is sticking to the flesh. Set aside.
- Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the chana dal and the urad dal. Roast on a low flame. Add in the dried red chillies, curry leaves and tamarind when the lentils are roasted half way.
- Once the lentils are nice and golden, add in the coconut. Saute for a few seconds and remove the pan from heat. Transfer the contents to a mixie jar.
- Grind the mixture in a small mixie jar to a coarse powder. Do not add any water while grinding. Pulse several times stopping inbetween to mix the masala in the mixie jar so it gets powdered evenly. Finally add in the charred and peeled raw banana and pulse it for a few seconds. Set aside.
- Heat coconut oil in a pan (preferably non-stick) and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves, fennel seeds (sombu) and broken cashewnuts. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the finely chopped onion and the salt. Saute till the onions are nice and golden.
- Once the onions are cooked, add in the ground mixture to the pan.
- Add in the turmeric and the jaggery. Jaggery is optional but that little sweetness nicely balances the sourness from the tamarind and balances out the flavour. Keep the flame on low and roast everything for a good 10-12 minutes. Keep breaking the lumps and roast till the mixture is dry.
- Raw banana stir-fry / sutta vazhakkai podi roast is ready. Serve hot with rice.
Can we store this
No. This cannot be stored.
Lovely recipe. Thank you!