Bethica Das innovatively makes use of green bananas and sambar powder in her Raw Banana Bharta to give it a distinctive taste.

She throws in red chilly flakes for extra spiciness.

The dish goes very well with chapattis or any flat Indian bread.

It can also be served as a side dish with dal chaval, sambar, rasam rice or curd rice.

Das lives in the UAE with her husband, who is a lecturer and she has written three online cookbooks.

Raw Banana Bharta

Serves: 2-3

• 2-3 raw bananas, boiled whole
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp rai or mustard seeds
• Pinch hing or asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tomato, chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp red chilly powder
• ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp dhania or coriander powder
• 2-3 tbsp sambar powder
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 2-3 tbsp green dhania or coriander or cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 green chilly, for garnish
• Few slices onion, for garnish
  
• Chilly flakes, for garnish
• Wedges lime, for garnish

Method

• Discard the skin from the boiled bananas and mash or grate till smooth.
  Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed kadhai or pan.
  Temper with mustard seeds and asafoetida.
  After it stops spluttering, add the onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies, curry leaves.
  Stir fry till light brown.
  Add the tomato, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder.
  Mix well and saute over a medium heat till the tomatoes are well blended.
  Sprinkle some water if required.
  Add the grated raw banana and salt.
  Give it a stir and continue to stir fry for a couple of minutes.
  Add the sambar powder, coriander leaves, lime juice.
  Give it a toss and take off heat.
  Keep covered for 2-3 minutes.
  Garnish with the green chilly, wedges of lime and the slices of onion and serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

Editor's Note: While adding oil to this recipe, consider using mustard oil.

Pair the bharta and rotis with Ramanunni Nair's South Indian Ghee Chicken Curry or Ramapriya Suresh's Punjabi Mutton Gravy. 

Bethica Das is a Sharjah-based food blogger.

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