Kacche Kele Ki Sabji is a vegetarian South Indian stir fry made with green banana or plantain. It is gluten-free, vegan, tasty, and crispy to the core. Be sure to watch the video!
The Green Banana
The green banana is known as plantain. In the Indian subcontinent, we call it – Kachha Kela (raw banana). The key difference between the ripe banana and the plantain is – that you never eat a plantain raw. It is always cooked before consumption.
A plantain is more like a potato with no taste, thick skin, and starchy.
It comes from Southeast Asia. However, they are now grown worldwide, including in India, Egypt, Indonesia, and tropical regions of America.
We make kebab , sabzi, kofta, and various other delicious vegetarian dishes using raw bananas in India.
Other Ingredients
Masala Paste: The main flavoring agent in this kacche kele ki sabji is freshly churned masala paste. You need – fresh coriander stalks, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilies, coconut, black pepper, and garlic.
Tadka (Tempering): Mustard Seeds (rai), Urad Dal, Curry Leaves
Spices & Seasoning: Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Salt
Cooking Oil: I prefer coconut or groundnut oil to make kacche kele ki sabji. You can also use flavorless refined oil, ghee, or mustard oil.
My Tried & True Tips
The nature of plantain is very similar to that of a potato, quick to cook and prone to blackening if left cut for a longer time. Hence, once you remove the green skin, cut it, and soak it in water until ready to use.
Add sufficient oil while cooking kachhe kele ki sabji for a crisp texture.
Adjust the number of red chilies and black peppercorns according to your taste preference. My recipe measurements will give you medium spicy kele ki sabji.
Use a heavy bottom kadhai or a ceramic pan for cooking this sabji. It will ensure crisp texture, even browning, and no sticking to the pan problem.
Watch Kele Ki Sabji Video
Serving Suggestion
We, as a family, enjoy kacche kele ki sabji with arhar ki dal and phulka. Or even piping hot paratha also tastes delicious with this sabzi.
In many places in South India, kele ki sabji is part of lunch thali and other dishes like kosambari , rasam , sambar , lemon rice , kootu, kolambu, and plain rice.
More Indian Sabji Recipes
Arbi Ki Sabzi
Aloo Ki Sabzi
Kaddu Ki Sabji
Dahi Lauki Ki Sabji
Kamal Kakdi Ki Sabzi
Achari Bharwa Baingan
If you try this recipe and love it, please leave a comment and a rating. This helps us grow and reach other food lovers like you.
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 medium-size plantain (kaccha kela)
- ▢ ⅛ Cup mustard oil (see notes)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ▢ 1 teaspoon white urad dal
- ▢ 2 tablespoon curry leaves
- ▢ 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ▢ 1 ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
Ingredients For Masala Paste:
- ▢ ¼ Cup dessicated coconut
- ▢ 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ▢ 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- ▢ 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- ▢ 2 dried red chilles
- ▢ ¼ Cup fresh coriander stalks
- ▢ 2 garlic cloves (see notes)
Instructions
- Make slits in the skin of the plantain. Remove the thick green skin. Soak the plantain in water for 5 minutes.
- Dice the plantain into bite size pieces as shown in the video.
- Next, grind the ingredients for masala paste to a coarse powder without using water in a spice grinder or mixer. Keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottom kadhai. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, and curry leaves. Fry for 30 – 40 seconds or till dal becomes light golden.
- Add the chopped plantain along with salt, red chilli powder, and turmeric. Stir to combine. Cook covered for 10 minutes over low to medium heat or till plantain is fully cooked.
- Once the plantain is cooked through and crisp, add the masala paste prepared earlier. Stir to combine. Sprinkle freshly chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve Kacche Kele Ki Sabji warm with chapati.
Recipe Notes:
- Adding garlic is optional. You can make the masala paste without garlic as well.
- For cooking you can use coconut oil, mustard oil, ghee, or groundnut oil.
Nutrition
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Kacche Kele Ki Sabji Recipe
Equipment
- Heavy Indian Kadhai
Ingredients
- 2 medium-size plantain (kaccha kela)
- ⅛ Cup mustard oil (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon white urad dal
- 2 tablespoon curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
Ingredients For Masala Paste:
- ¼ Cup dessicated coconut
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 dried red chilles
- ¼ Cup fresh coriander stalks
- 2 garlic cloves (see notes)
Instructions
- Make slits in the skin of the plantain. Remove the thick green skin. Soak the plantain in water for 5 minutes.
- Dice the plantain into bite size pieces as shown in the video.
- Next, grind the ingredients for masala paste to a coarse powder without using water in a spice grinder or mixer. Keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottom kadhai. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, and curry leaves. Fry for 30 - 40 seconds or till dal becomes light golden.
- Add the chopped plantain along with salt, red chilli powder, and turmeric. Stir to combine. Cook covered for 10 minutes over low to medium heat or till plantain is fully cooked.
- Once the plantain is cooked through and crisp, add the masala paste prepared earlier. Stir to combine. Sprinkle freshly chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve Kacche Kele Ki Sabji warm with chapati.
Video
Notes
- Adding garlic is optional. You can make the masala paste without garlic as well.
- For cooking you can use coconut oil, mustard oil, ghee, or groundnut oil.
Nutrition
Kosambari is a traditional Indian salad with pulses, cucumber, and peanuts. It is a healthy, vegan, and gluten-free salad with a delicious crunch. I am sharing a cucumber kosambari salad recipe.
What is Kosambari?
Kosambari is a term for ‘salad’ with pulses, seeds, and cucumber. It is also known as Koshambir or Koshimbir.
Kosambari is a healthy, wholesome, vegan, and gluten-free salad that requires minimal ingredients. You can sample a variety of Kosambari salads in Maharashtrian, Kannada, or Tamil Cuisines. It is served in small quantities at the beginning of a traditional meal to build the appetite or as sattvic prasad in temples.
I am sharing a moong dal, cucumber, and peanut Kosambari recipe.
Ingredients Required
Dal: Use boiled yellow moong dal (mung bean).
Cucumber: You can use either English, Spanish, Chinese or Indian Cucumbers.
Peanut: Skinned, roasted peanuts are a good choice for this salad recipe.
Coconut: Use freshly grated coconut, not the pre-packaged, desiccated or frozen one.
Seasoning: Cumin Powder, Salt, Black Pepper Powder, Lemon Juice, Green Chilli
Tempering: Sesame Oil, Mustard Seeds, Curry Leaves
Other Ingredients: Fresh Corriander, Pomegranate, Caster Sugar
Two Ways To Make Kosambari
Method 1) The authentic Kosambari is made with soaked moong dal and not cooked. Soak moong dal for 5 to 6 hours and drain all the water. It becomes tender with a slight crunch to it. Use soaked dal for making the salad. Rinse soaked dal one more time with clean, running water to get rid of toxins. It becomes tender with a slight crunch to it. Use it for making salad.
Method 2) This is how I make Kosambari. Soak dal for 1 hour, and boil it in salted water till al dente. Drain all the water. Use boiled dal for making Kosambari.
How To Make
Step 1) Rinse and soak yellow moong dal for 1 hour in water.
Step 2) Cook it in salted water till al dente. Transfer to a colander and set aside to cool down.
Step 3) Combine diced cucumbers, crushed peanuts, grated coconut, boiled moong dal, green chilli, salt, sugar, and spices. Gently toss them.
Step 4) Heat oil in a small tadka pan. Add black mustard seeds, curry leaves, and once the seeds start popping, pour this tadka over the salad.
Step 5) Add lemon juice, pomegranate, and chopped fresh coriander. Toss Kosambari Salad gently. It is ready to serve.
My Tried & True Tips
You can make Kosambari salad with soaked dal also. No need to cook it. After soaking for 5 to 6 hours, moong dal becomes tender and easy to digest. Add it to the salad without cooking, along with other ingredients.
Add a pinch of asafoetida to tempering if using uncooked, soaked moong dal. It aids in digestion.
Do not pressure cook the dal for salad. We need a crunch in it and not the overcooked, mushy one. I prefer boiling it in a saucepan, which takes only 10 minutes.
Allow the cooked pulses to cool down before adding them to the salad.
If you use Indian cucumbers , peel off the skin and discard the seeds.
For tempering the Kosambari salad , you can use either coconut oil, sesame oil, or groundnut oil.
A Kosambari salad has subtle and natural flavours. Hence, do not overload it with too many bold spices. Adding green chilli is also optional.
It is best to make Kosambari fresh and serve it immediately. It is not the kind of salad that remains crunchy for days. However, you can meal prep the pulses and cucumbers for the salad and store them in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days.
More Indian Salad Recipes
Dal Sprout Salad
Kachumber Salad
Lobia Chaat Salad
Brown Chana Salad
If you try this recipe and love it, please leave a comment and a rating. This helps us grow and reach other food lovers like you.
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 Cup diced cucumber
- ▢ ½ Cup yellow moong dal
- ▢ ⅓ Cup roasted peanuts, crushed
- ▢ ⅓ Cup grated coconut
- ▢ 1 green chilli chopped
- ▢ 2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
- ▢ 2 tablespoon pomegranate pearls
- ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin powder (jeera powder)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper powder or to taste
- ▢ 1 ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ▢ 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Ingredients For Tempering
- ▢ 30 ml sesame oil
- ▢ 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon curry leaves
Instructions
- Rinse and soak yellow moong dal for 1 hour in water. Cook it in salted water till al dente. Transfer to a colander and set aside to cool down.
- Combine diced cucumbers, crushed peanuts, grated coconut, boiled moong dal, green chilli, salt, sugar, and spices. Gently toss them.
- Heat oil in a small tadka pan. Add black mustard seeds, curry leaves, and once the seeds start popping, pour this tadka over the salad.
- Add lemon juice, pomegranate, and chopped fresh coriander. Toss Kosambari Salad gently. I
- Kosambari Salad is ready to serve.
Recipe Notes:
- You can make a Kosambari with green moong dal or sprouts as well.
- For tempering, you can use groundnut, coconut or sesame oil. Do not use ghee or mustard oil.
Nutrition
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