Exotic green banana curry recipe

Vegetables are important in Indian cuisine, but green fruit — particularly banana, jackfruit, pawpaw and apple — is also used in many curries, batters and pickles.

Bananas are abundant in KwaZulu- Natal, also growing in domestic vegetable gardens and early settlers from India made extensive use of this potassium-rich, nutritious fruit. Bananas are available all year round and should be served to the family in as many ways as possible. This recipe is seasoned with cardamom, ginger and fennel, cooked in coconut milk and topped with fried cashew nuts. It makes a delicious and unusual filling for rotis.

INGREDIENTS

12 green bananas

45ml (3 tbsp) ghee (clarified

b u t te r)

1 large onion, finely chopped

15ml (1 tbsp) freshly grated root

ginger

2 dried red chillies

2 bay leaves

4 cardamom pods

10ml (2 tsp) fennel seeds

5ml (1 tsp) mustard seeds

8 to 10 curry leaves

2.5ml (1/2 tsp) ground turmeric

1 x 400g tin coconut milk

Salt to taste

5ml (1 tsp) sugar

2 green chillies, sliced

10 peri-peri cashew nuts, chopped and fried

METHOD

1. Cook the unpeeled bananas in boil- ing water for 20 minutes, then drain and allow to cool. Carefully peel and slice.
2. Heat 30ml (2 tbsp) of the ghee in a pan and fry the onion, ginger, red chillies, bay leaves, cardamom, fennel and mustard seeds until the onion is softened.
3. Remove the solids with a slotted spoon, purée in a food processor and set aside.
4. Add the remaining ghee to the pan and sauté the sliced bananas with the curry leaves and turmeric for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the coconut milk, salt and sugar and cook gently until reduced and thickened.
6. Stir in the onion purée and green chillies and simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Garnish with cashew nuts and serve hot with roti.

Serves 8 to 10.