Karthik kari!

We tambrams must have heard about vazhakkai (raw plantain banana) kari or karamidhu (for Iyengars) and we know that there are different ways to cook the same. I am going to add one more recipe to it. This was given by my friend who is in NJ and hence the name! Karthik avargal perumidha padalaam. I have fulfilled the promise made to him. Here goes the recipe!

Ingredients:

Vazhaikkai (plantain) - 2 nos small, diced

Black Pepper - 1 tsp

Jeeragam(Cumin seeds) -2 tsp

Curry leaves(adhamba namma ooru karuveppillai! Adhukku dhan galeejaa ippadi oru peru!) -2 clusters



Mustard seeds(kadugu) -1/2 tsp



Urad dhal(whole)-1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Oil( Vegetable or olive or Sunflower your choice!) - 15 ml

Preparation:
Pour water in a shallow pan and add diced vazhakkai .Make it come to a boil and simmer it for 15-18 mins. Add salt after the 10th minute.Meanwhile to make Pepper and jeera powder with curry leaves :
Curry leaves -1 cluster
Pepper and cumin seeds as mentioned above.
Dry roast pepper and cumin seeds for 5 mins in medium heat till both of them start splitting. Add curry leaves to it and switch off the stove. Keep roasting it in the heat of the pan. Curry leaves will split too.Grind them all together to make a nice powder.
Tip: You can grind this in larger quantities, store them and use it as a ready made powder.
Drain excess water from vazhakkai.Add oil to a medium heated stir fry pan and leave it to become hot.Add mustard seeds and wait to splitAdd Urad dhal and curry leaves and stir till Urad dhal becomes golden brown.Add turmeric powder (This is the only change I made to his recipe.. He asked me to add it just before adding the pepper powder.)Add boiled vazhakkai and mix them all so that the colour of the turmeric powder is spread evenly.Add the pepper jeera powder and keep mixing till it spreads evenly.Leave it in medium heat for about 5-7 mins. Mix occassionally
Karthik kari is ready!