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Kacha kela nu shaak
Raw banana stir-fry
કાચા કેળાનું શાક: Jain Gujarati dry sabzi of raw banana cubes with ajwain, chilli, a little sugar and lemon, in place of potato
Jain kitchens leave out potatoes, along with every other root, so in Ahmedabad, Palanpur and Mumbai's Gujarati homes raw green banana steps in, and this dry shaak is the one you'll find in the thali at paryushan and at Jain bhojanshalas year round. The cubes are cooked gently in a vaghar of mustard seed, ajwain and hing, dusted with turmeric, chilli and dhana-jiru, and finished with a pinch of sugar and lemon, so they turn soft and creamy inside with lightly browned edges. It tastes savoury, sweet-sour and peppery from the ajwain. Serve it with rotli, dal-bhaat or puri. The common mistake is stirring too much once the banana softens; the cubes break and turn mushy. Turn them with a flat spatula only two or three times. Chef's tip: drop the cubes into water as you cut them so they stay pale, and drain well before they hit the oil.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the shaak
- 3 raw green bananas (kacha kela)about 450 g; peeled, cut in 1.5 cm cubes, kept in water
- 3 tbsp groundnut oil
- ¾ tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp water
To finish
- 1 tsp sugar or grated jaggery
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ⅓ oz fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Drain 3 raw green bananas (kacha kela) and pat dry on a cloth.
2 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp groundnut oil in a heavy kadai over medium heat. Add ½ tsp black mustard seeds (rai); when it splutters, add ¾ tsp ajwain (carom seeds) and ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing) and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
1 minStep 3: Add the banana cubes with ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp dhana-jiru (ground coriander-cumin) and 1 tsp salt and turn gently to coat.
1 minStep 4: Sprinkle over 3 tbsp water, cover and cook on low heat for 10–12 minutes, turning once halfway, until a knife slides easily into a cube.
12 minStep 5: Uncover, raise the heat to medium and cook for 3–4 minutes without stirring much, until the edges are lightly browned and the shaak is dry.
4 minStep 6: Sprinkle over 1 tsp sugar or grated jaggery and 1 tbsp lemon juice, turn once and finish with ⅓ oz fresh coriander.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kacha kela nu shaak take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 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 (kacha kela)?
- Mango, same weight (in smoothies and shakes).
- What can I use instead of black mustard seeds (rai)?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
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