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Kacha kela na vada
Raw banana fritters
કાચા કેળાના વડા: Jain-style fritters of mashed raw banana with dry ginger, chilli and lemon, no onion, garlic or potato
In Jain homes in Ahmedabad, Palanpur and Mumbai's Gujarati neighbourhoods, raw green banana takes the place of potato, so these vada are the Jain answer to batata vada, made for paryushan-season tea and for guests. The bananas are boiled, mashed and spiced with dry ginger, green chilli, lemon and a little sugar, rolled into balls, dipped in gram flour batter and fried. They taste much like batata vada but are slightly firmer, sweeter and fruity. There is no onion, garlic, potato or fresh ginger in this version. The common mistake is overboiling the bananas until they are waterlogged; the filling then goes sticky and the vada split in the oil, so cook them only until a knife slides in. Chef's tip: mash the bananas while warm with a potato masher, not a blender, so the filling stays light.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the filling
- 3 raw green bananas (plantain)about 450 g
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
For the batter
- 3 ½ oz besan (gram flour)
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup waterabout
- 1 pinch bicarbonate of soda
For frying
- 3 ¼ cups sunflower or groundnut oil
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Cut each 3 raw green bananas (plantain) into 3 pieces and boil in their skins until a knife slides in easily but they are not mushy.
12 minStep 2: Peel while warm and mash smoothly.
3 minStep 3: Heat 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a small pan, crackle ½ tsp black mustard seeds, add ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing) and 2 green chillies, then pour over the mash.
1 minStep 4: Add ½ tsp dry ginger powder (sunth), ¼ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp salt and 3 tbsp fresh coriander, mix and taste. Shape into 12 balls the size of a walnut and flatten slightly.
5 minStep 5: Whisk 3 ½ oz besan (gram flour), 1 tbsp rice flour, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp salt and ½ cup water into a thick batter that coats the back of a spoon.
2 minStep 6: Pour 3 ¼ cups sunflower or groundnut oil into a heavy kadai or deep pan, no more than a third of its depth, and heat over medium heat to 175–350°F on a thermometer. No thermometer? A drop of batter should rise straight up and sizzle. Stay at the stove the whole time the oil is hot and keep the handle turned inwards.
6 minStep 7: Whisk 1 pinch bicarbonate of soda into the batter. Dip each ball to coat fully and lower it gently into the oil, 5 or 6 at a time.
2 minStep 8: Fry, turning, until deep golden and crisp all over and the bubbling quietens. Drain and serve hot with green chutney and fried chillies.
6 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kacha kela na vada take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of raw green bananas (plantain)?
- Mango, same weight (in smoothies and shakes).
- What can I use instead of black mustard seeds?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
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