Vazhakkai Podimas – Plantain (Raw Banana) Stir Fry – Vegan
South indian style vazhakkai podimas / varuval recipe. Steamed plantain tempered in a fragrant spicy coconut masala. Makes a great side dish for sambar or rasam.
Plantain-vazhakkai is such a versatile vegetable that you can quickly whip up a curry, stir-fry, roast or even the quintessential south indian plantain chips. This recipe makes a podimas. Podimas is a rustic mashed veggie that is tempered with indian spices. This podimas is rich and flavorful with coconut and spices. Plantain is lets say a blank canvas. It needs that oomph to make it stand out. I use a fragrant dry roasted spice powder to add more flavor to this otherwise boring veggie.
I steam the plantains with the skin in a pressure cooker for 6-8 minutes (3 whistles). Then coarsely mash it and temper it with the spice masala. It makes a perfect side dish for a south indian lunch of sambar or rasam with rice.
- 2 teaspoon urad dal
- 6-8 Red Chillies
- 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1-1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 4 tablespoon fresh shredded coconut
- 2 teaspoon jaggery
- 1 inch strip of tamarind
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 plantains steamed with skin,peeled and mashed
- 3 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 1 onion finely diced (optional)
- Dry roast all the ingredients for the spice powder on a low flame until golden brown. Keep aside.
- Dry roast the coconut on a low flame until golden brown . Dry roasting on a low flame is important as the ingredients can turn from brown to burnt very fast. Keep aside.
- Grind the above roasted ingredients along with raw jaggery, tamarind and salt to a fine powder. Keep aside.
- Steam the plantains in a pressure cooker for 6-8 minutes. Peel and mash. Keep aside.
- Heat oil in a saute pan. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let it splutter.
- Add in the chopped onions if using and fry till golden.
- Add in the plantains and the ground masala.
- Saute for another 5 minutes in low flame so the masala coats evenly.
- Remove from heat and serve with rice.
Ammujo says
November 14, 2017 at 2:30 amI am new to cooking and am not sure of how it tastes adding jaggery and tamarind together to a dish..Is it unavoidable or can u suggest any alternate to it?
Priya says
September 20, 2017 at 6:56 pmWe just enjoyed it.. thanks alot for all your good work…
Suguna Vinodh says
September 20, 2017 at 11:29 pmThank you!
ashwini says
February 1, 2017 at 3:51 pmSuperb dish. All of them in my family liked it. Thank you mam?
Suguna Vinodh says
February 1, 2017 at 6:03 pmThank you Ashwini!
jeniffa says
May 22, 2016 at 6:55 pmHi Mam thanks for the receipe tried today everybody at home liked it.
Suguna Vinodh says
May 22, 2016 at 9:43 pmthats so nice Jeniffa.
Meena says
April 1, 2016 at 4:55 pmTried this today, came out amazing! Thanks so much!!
You have a wonderful blog 🙂
Suguna Vinodh says
April 1, 2016 at 5:12 pmThank you Meena!
andal says
December 6, 2015 at 8:44 pmDear sugu sis.,
Vanakkam. Made podimas and milagu rasam for lunch on a rainy day.vaditha saadham with a dollop of ghee as you say always…..don’t know how to describe deary…reminded of great poet Bharatidasan s words……”thindradhaye thindru thevitudhal illaamal andrandrum vaazhvil pudhumai kaanavendum….”. Please keep going. Best wishes.
Suguna Vinodh says
December 7, 2015 at 1:08 pmThank you ma.
suguna vinodh says
January 23, 2015 at 9:27 pm🙂
ugg outlet jackson nj says
November 23, 2014 at 10:39 pmAppreciate this post. Let me try it out.
kannamma says
December 21, 2014 at 4:07 amThank You!