Vareka Uperi - Raw Banana and Black eyed beans curry

Here's something new to do with raw banana. Now I know you all are going think that I have some sort of banana fixation. Let me assure you that I have nothing of that sort. It is just that I have somehow been finding myself a little banana-ful lately.

All I knew to do with raw bananas was Avial and a Gujarati preparation. Anyway here's something fantastic that I stumbled upon and it is super-easy to make.

Ingredients

• 1/4th cup black eyed beans
• 2 raw bananas
• 1 tsp jeera (cumin) seeds
• 3 to 4 green chillies
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 -3 dry chillies
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• a few curry leaves
• 1 tsp oil

Pressure cook the beans in plenty of water till they are soft. Chop the raw bananas and mix them with the beans.
Grind the cumin, green chillies, garlic, turmeric and coconut to a paste.

Heat the beans and bananas in a pan and make a well in the center.  Add the ground paste in this well. Cover and let it simmer for three to four minutes.

In a separate pan, heat the oil and add the mustard, red chillies, curry leaves and onions. Fry for a few minutes and add it to the  banana-bean mixture. Add salt and mix up the whole stuff. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes and serve hot!

The first thing my husband said after he tasted this was... Mmmm... Yumm!!

Happy Cooking!