CHETTINAD ENNAI VAZHAKAI

Chettinad Ennai Vazhakai is a spicy and crispy side dish prepared by stir frying the sambar powder coated-vazhakai in oil with other spices like jeera, urad dal and fennel seeds. This recipe is simple and easy to prepare with few ingredients. It takes quite a while to get cooked, but its worth doing it. The tasty Chettinad Ennai Vazhakai pairs good with Sambar/Rasam/Curd  Rice.

PREPARATION TIME : 20 minutes

COOKING TIME         : 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS: (serves 4 persons)

• Vazhakai/Raw banana medium size   - 2
• Sambar powder                                     - 3 spoons
• Cornflour (optional)                              - 2 spoons
• Ginger garlic paste                                 - 1 spoon
• Turmeric powder                                   - 1/4 spoon
• Oil                                                             - 1 spoon
• Salt

For Tempering

• Oil                                                   - 6 spoons
• Mustard seeds                              - 1/4 spoon
• Urad dal                                         - 1/2 spoon
• Cumin seeds/jeera                      - 1/2 spoon
• Fennel seeds/sombu                   - 1/2 spoon
• Curry leaves                                  - 5-7 leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Get ready with all the ingredients. Peel the skin of vazhakai, divide into quarters and slice thinly.

2. In a mixing bowl add sliced vazhakai, sambar powder, cornflour, salt, turmeric powder, salt and a spoon of oil. (Tip: Oil helps in coating the masala with vazhakai.)

3. Mix well and rest it for 10-15 minutes.

4. Heat oil in a kadai, and add mustard seeds, urad dal, fennel seeds, jeera and curry leaves. Let them crackle. (Tip: Use iron kadai or non stick pan, to avoid vazhakai sticking to kadai.)

5. Add the marinated vazhakai, stir on high flame for 2-3 minutes. Lower the flame, Gently stir and cook until it turns brown and crisp. (Tip: keep stirring occasionally to avoid burning.)

6. Here the crispy chettinad ennai vazhakai is ready to Serve and Enjoy!

ADDITIONAL TIPS:

=> Cook in low flame, be gentle while stirring else vazhakai may break.

=> The addition of cornflour enhances the crispiness of vazhakai. Its purely optional.

=> You can also use red chilly powder instead of sambar powder. In chettinad we use sambar powder for ennai vazhakai.

=> The specified amount of spiciness is sufficient for me. If you wish less or more spicy adjust the quantity of sambar powder accordingly.

=> The urad dal, jeera and fennel seeds add extra flavour and taste to the dish, so I highly recommend using all.

=> If it sticks to the kadai, add little oil and keep stirring until it turns brown and crisp.