Vazhakka Upperi

Here is a traditional Kerala lunch side dish recipe. Chena and Kaya are two of my fav veggies. I guess, it both has a meaty texture and that's why I like it so much ;)

Back home, this dish is made very often and even as kids me and my cousins used to enjoy this dish. What I like best about this dish is eating up the bits that's stuck to the vessel. The taste of coconut combined with starch of raw banana with a hint of coconut oil, somehow makes it irresistible :)

Hope you will also enjoy this dish.

Here is the recipe…

Cook cleaned vazhakka with salt, turmeric and 2.5 cups water. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer, till the vazhakka is cooked and water is almost dried…

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Crush together coconut, green chillies, cumin and small onion (3), using a mortar and pestle…

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Once vazhakka is cooked and water is almost dried, make a well in the centre and add the coconut mixture to this. Cover the coconut mixture with vazhakka and cover and cook for 5-7 mins on low flame…

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Heat oil in a pan and crackle the mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and small onion, when small onion begins to brown, add dry red chilli, fry for a min or two and add it to the vazhakka mixture…

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Vazhakka Upperi

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian, Kerala, South Indian

Servings: 4 -5

Author: Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

• ▢ 550 gms Vazhakka (Raw Banana) (cubed)
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• ▢ 3/4 cup Grated Coconut
• ▢ 3 Green chilli (chopped)
• ▢ a pinch Cumin
• ▢ 3 Small onion / Pearl onion (sliced)

To temper

• ▢ 5 Small onion / Pearl onion (sliced)
• ▢ 2 Dry red chilli
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• ▢ Curry leaves
• ▢ Salt
• ▢ Coconut oil

Instructions

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  Cook cleaned vazhakka with salt, turmeric and 2.5 cups water. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer, till the vazhakka is cooked and water is almost dried.
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  Crush together coconut, green chillies, cumin and small onion (3), using a mortar and pestle or pulse it in the mixie for a few seconds.
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  Once vazhakka is cooked and water is almost dried, make a well in the centre and add the coconut mixture to this. Cover the coconut mixture with vazhakka and cover and cook for 5-7 mins on low flame. Remove the lid and mix well. If the mixture is sticking to the pan, add some hot water and mix well.
• ▢
  Heat oil in a pan and crackle the mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and small onion, when small onion begins to brown, add dry red chilli, fry for a min or two and add it to the vazhakka mixture.
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  Serve hot with rice.

Notes

I kept the skin on for vazhakka. make sure you scrub it nicely before using.

The consistency of the curry is semi dry. If you feel the dish has become too dry, add a bit more oil or hot water and mix well.

It keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days. Make sure you add some water before reheating, otherwise it will be dry.

Tried this recipe? Let others know by…mentioning @mariasmenu or tagging #mariasmenu

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