KELA AMBAT
A SWEET AND SPICY BANANA CURRY
Ingredients:
1) Half ripe Nendran banana – 2 Nos.
2) Cashew Nuts – 50 gm.
3) Chick pea lentils – 100 gm.
4) Jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) – 100 gm.
5) Dry Hot Chilies – 3 Nos.
6) Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
7) Cumin seeds – ¾ teaspoon
8) Curry leaves – 2 Sprigs
9) Fresh Coconut – ½
10) Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon
11) Coconut oil or other cooking oil – 1 tablespoon
12) Salt to taste
To Cook:
Peel the semi ripe nendran banana. Split lengthwise into 2 halves and cut into 1 inch size pieces. Grate the coconut. Put the grated coconut and thee dry chilies into the food processor. Add enough water to grind it to fine paste. Set aside.
Put the lentils and cashew in a pressure cooker. Add double their volume of water. Set on the stove and cook until you hear the first whistle. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool naturally.
Put the jaggery in a small vessel. Pour 50 ml. of water and melt on a low fire. When fully melted, pass through a fine stainless steel sieve and set aside. Set a thick bottomed vessel on the stove. Chuck in the cooked lentils and cashews along with the banana pieces. Pour in a little water to submerge the banana. Tip in a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of turmeric powder. Boil on medium heat till the banana is cooked.
You can check if it is cooked by pressing the edge of a spoon against the banana pieces. Then pour in the melted jaggery. Boil for 2 minutes and put in the ground coconut paste. When it boils nicely, taste and add more seasoning if necessary. Turn off the heat.
Set a small pan on the stove. Pour in a tablespoon of coconut oil or other cooking oil. Throw in the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds are about to finish crackling, add the cumin seeds. As soon as the cumin seeds start spluttering, add the curry leaves and tip over the contents of the pan into the curry. Stir and serve hot.
Your Kela Ambat is an excellent accompaniment to a vegetarian feast.
Enjoy!!!
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