Raw plantain, also known as green banana, is a versatile and nutritious ingredient that can be used to create a delicious and unique sabzi (vegetable dish). Here’s a simple yet flavorful recipe for raw plantain sabzi. This recipe is made in a healthy way without deep frying or adding excessive amounts of spices and salt. It is an easy recipe to make and it will take no more than 20 minutes to both prepare and cook this dish. Raw bananas are high in vitamins C and B6, as well as potassium, which is essential for heart health and maintaining proper muscle function.They contain resistant starch and dietary fiber, which aid in digestion, improve gut health, and help regulate blood sugar levels.
Raw Banana Sabzi
Course: MainCuisine: Indian, Bengali, BihariDifficulty: Easy4
servings5
minutes15
minutes20
minutesThis recipe is without any gravy or sauce and it must be cooked without adding any water. The starch in the green bananas will form a gooey layer that is both unpleasant to look at and eat. This also prevents the vegetable from absorbing the flavor of the spices. We will also be using a five seed spice mix called panchphoran. Panchphoran is a traditional Bengali five-spice blend consisting of equal parts fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, and fennel seeds. It’s commonly used in Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine to temper dishes, adding a unique and aromatic flavor.
Ingredients
3 Raw plantain
1/2 Tbsp panchphoran
1 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic paste
1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 Tbsp kasuri methi/ dried fenugreek leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Cup fresh Coriander leaves
Preperation
- Raw bananas starts to oxidize and blacken as soon as it is exposed to air after the skin has been peeled. To prevent this prepare a bowl of water mixed with 1 Tbsp lemon juice or yogurt. The plantains we will cut will be dipped in this water to prevent oxidation while we continue to prepare for cooking.
- Slice the top and bottom part of the bananas and cut them into 2 inch logs. Slice the skin using a sharp knife. A peeler will not do a good job in this case.
- Slice the peeled bananas into rounds roughly 3 mm thick. If the slices are too tihn, they will start to break apart while cooking and if they are too thick they will need a very long time to cook and may even be harder at the core.
- As you cut the bananans, keep storing the already cut slices in the water that you had prepared in step 1. Do not leave the bananas exposed to air for long.
- Cooking directions
- scoop out the raw bananas with hand and discard the water
- Heat 1 to 2 Tbsp of Ghee or any oil in a pan. Keep the heat on medium
- Add 1/2 Tbsp of panchphoran spice mix.
- Cook for about a minute until the earthy aroma of cumin and fenugreek seeds emerge.
- Add 1 Tbsp ginger garlic paste and cook for about a minute or until the raw aroma of ginger and garlic mellow down.
- Add the sliced raw plantains to the pan, mix it gently and cover the pan with a lid. Turn down the heat and cook them covered for 5 minutes in its own steam.
- Uncover the pan and stir the ingredients gently. Scrape the pan with a wooden spatula from the bottom to ensure that nothing is sticking to the pan. Cover the pan again and cook for a further 5 minutes. Repeat this one more time if necessary until the bananas have cooked.
- When cooked the banans will become soft and can be pressed easily with a spatula. At this stage we will add the spices
- Add between 1 to 2 tsp of kashmiri red chili powder or paprika powder. Chili powder in Indian cooking is made by grinding red chilis and they are made with several varieties of chilis. It is not the same as the seasoning chili sold in the USA that is a mix of chili and several other spices used in stews.
- Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
- Add 1 tsp of salt or adjust the quantity as per your taste preferences and tolerance
- Mix all ingredients on the pan , cover it with a lid and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Dry roast the fenugreek leaves until they are crisp. Add this to the pan mix and cover again. You can tur noff the flame now.
- Garnish with some lemon juice and fresh coriander leaves and your dish is ready to be enjoyed either as a snack or as a side in a meal.
