Vazhakai Podi

This amazingly easy south indian curry is a tasty dish which goes well with rice. Just steam the vazhakai (green raw plantain) and grate it, add the curry powder.. and you have a nice dish ready in a moment!

Ingredients

Vazhakai – 2
Coconut oil – 2 tsp
Curry leaves
Asafoetida
Curry Powder – 2 -3 tablespoons
Turmeric powder
Red chillies - 2
Salt
Mustard and split urad dal for tadka

Cut the Vazhakai (with the skin on) in to half and microwave these pieces wrapped in a wet cloth. Microwave in high for 3 minutes and let it cool. If you overcook these, then it would become Vazhai Halwa.. so be careful!

After it’s completely cooled, grate this and keep aside. To this grated mixture, add ½ tsp of coconut oil, asafetida, turmeric powder, curry powder, and salt and gently sift through using your hands. (so that the mixture is not sticky forming lumps).

In a Kadai, heat coconut oil and do the tadka with red chillies, mustard seeds, split urad dal, curry leaves, asafetida. Toss in the grated Vazhakai mixture on a low flame. Leave it on for just 2-3 minutes till everything is mixed well. You can add in a little more curry powder if you like it a little spicer. Enjoy!

For the Curry Powder - This can be made in advance and stored for 2-3 weeks. This curry powder or podi can also be used for Ennai Kathirikai and all other Podi Curries. Dry roast all the below mentioned ingredients and make a semi-ground podi in the mixi.

Corainder seeds – 4 tsp
Long, dried red chillies – 10-15
Asafoetida – ½ tsp
Channa dal or Kadalai Parruppu – 2 tsp
Broken white urad dal – 2 tsp
Rice – 1 tsp