Green plantain chutney from Andhra Pradesh (Aratikai pachadi)

Plantains are a mainstay in Indian cuisine. They are easy to grow and filled with nutrition. Compared to bananas, plantains are larger and have a higher starchy content. They usually have to be cooked to be eaten.

Here is a lovely chutney recipe with this fruit. It is a mild chutney with a lovely subtle flavour. The spices complement the creaminess of the plantains, and this chutney is perfect for adding that additional pop of flavour to dosas or other recipes.

This is another cookbook from Chandra Padmanabhan that I adore. The recipes vary across India's southern states, and each turns out very well. Like this one, the recipes are authentic and wonderfully flavoured. This cookbook is for those who want to go beyond the ordinary and enjoy very localized cuisines from the South.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil

2 large raw plantains, peeled and cubed

2 green chllies, sliced

1 tablespoon tamarind extract

Salt, to taste

1/4 cup water

1/2-1 cup yoghurt

1 teaspoon cilantro, minced

For the temper:

2 tablespoons ghee or oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon black gram dal (urad dal

1 dried red chilli

2 teaspoons red onions, finely diced

10 curry leaves

Heat the oil in a small pot and add the plantains and green chillies. Fry on medium heat, tossing the ingredients often until the plantains are browned and caramelized.

Add the tamarind, salt, and water, and cook for 5 minutes until the plantains are very soft. Remove and cool completely.

Add the fried ingredients and yoghurt to a small blender and puree until very smooth and thick. Do not make the chutney runny. Also, if the chutney is thick, it tends to be slimy, so get the consistency correct. Ladle into a small bowl.

Heat the ghee and add the mustard seeds. Fry for 10 seconds until they pop. Add the rest of the ingredients in the sequence above and fry for 1 minute. Pour over the chutney.

Serve at room temperature.