CELEBRATE THE INDIAN THALI

Find new inspiration for delicious dishes from across India to oomph up your meals in NANDITA IYER'S The Great Indian Thali

PAZHAM PORI

(Batter-Fried Bananas From Kerala)

1 cup (100 g) all-purpose flour

2 tbsp rice flour

2 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

2 tbsp dosa batter

4 to 6 ripe bananas (preferably the Nendran variety)

2 cups oil for deep-frying

Calorie count: 567 calories (per serving)

SERVES: 4> PREP TIME: 2 TO 3 HOURS > COOKING TIME: 30 minutes

1. In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Mix in the dosa batter. Add water, a little at a time, mixing with a wire whisk or with your fingers to make a thick batter that falls in ribbons (cake batter consistency).

2. Cover the bowl and set aside for two to three hours.

3. Peel the bananas. Slice in half vertically. Depending on the size of your frying pan, cut each of these pieces horizontally to get four pieces per banana.

4. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Once the oil is hot, dip each piece of banana in the batter to coat it completely and drop it gently into the oil. Fry three to four pieces at a time, making sure that the pan is not overcrowded. Reduce the flame or temperature to medium and allow the coating to become golden brown all around. This should take around five minutes of frying. Before dropping in the next batch of bananas, allow the oil to heat up properly.

5. Drain the fried bananas using a slotted spoon, and place in a dish lined with kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil.

6. Serve hot with cups of strong black tea.

TIP: IN THE ABSENCE OF DOSA BATTER, USE A SIMILAR QUANTITY OF THINNED SOURDOUGH STARTER. YOU CAN ALSO LET THE PREPARED BATTER SIT FOR FOUR TO FIVE HOURS. ADD 1/4 TSP BAKING POWDER ALONG WITH A SPOON OF WATER AND MIX WELL BEFORE STARTING THE COOKING PROCESS.

DAHI BAIGANA 

(Odia-Style Baby Brinjals In Yoghurt)