Banana Fry | Aratikaya Fry

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Banana Fry or Aratikaya Fry recipe with step by step photos. This is a mildly spiced and slightly crisp South Indian style banana fry made with unripe bananas or plantains, spices and herbs. A no onion no garlic and vegan recipe that makes for an excellent side dish with South Indian meals.

banana fry served in a white bowl.

I usually buy unripe banana or plantains when I go for veggie shopping. I try to include them in our diet and make various dishes with them. Some of the Raw Banana Recipes that I make often at home are:

  1. Vazhakkai Poriyal – Simple and easy Tamil style recipe.
  2. Vazhakkai Varuval – Tamil Nadu style spicy unripe plantain preparation.
  3. Banana Bajji – Plantain fritters

The recipe is easy and quick to prepare. All you need to do is to cut the raw bananas into thin round slices. Then fry a few spices and saute the banana slices until tender.

However the recipe needs attention while cooking. So do prepare when you are cooking some other dish also.

This recipe of raw banana fry accompanies sambar-rice or rasam-rice or dal-rice very well. You can also have them plain or with chapatis.

This recipe can be easily scaled to make for more servings. It can also be packed for lunch box with a side of chapati or paratha.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Banana Fry

1. Rinse 4 small to medium-sized raw unripe bananas first (300 grams) in fresh water. Then peel them lightly. I usually remove the black spots and keep the peels as they are.

Slice them in thin rounds and add them to a bowl containing water + a bit of salt (about ¼ teaspoon salt), so that they don’t darken. After you slice, then immediately add them to the bowl of water.

sliced raw unripe bananas in water

2. Before you start frying the spices, drain all the water from the raw bananas and set them aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a shallow frying pan. You can use any neutral-flavored oil.

Keep the heat to a low or medium and add ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds. Saute till the mustard seeds crackle on low heat.

mustard seeds for vazhakkai fry

3. Then add 6 to 7 curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida (hing).

curry leaves added

4. Stir to mix.

mixing curry leaves with mustard seeds

5. Now add the sliced bananas carefully. Due to some moisture being present in them they may splutter.

adding vazhakkai

6. Mix the bananas with the rest of the tempered ingredients.

mix vazhakkai with other ingredients

7. Then add the following spice powders:

  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
adding spices

8. Stir and mix the spice powders very well with the banana slices.

mixing spices for vazhakkai

9. Spread the raw banana slices evenly on the pan, so that they get cooked evenly. Keep the heat to low to medium-low.

cooking vazhakkai fry

10. Don’t cover the pan with any lid and saute the bananas on a low to medium-low heat.

Do stir at intervals after 5 to 6 minutes for even cooking. Also, remember to turn slices and cook the sides which look uncooked or not roasted or crisp.

cooking vazhakkai fry

11. Cook till the slices become crisp towards the edges. Not all slices will become crisp, but most of them will be. When the banana slices are cooked, sprinkle salt as needed. Stir again and mix well.

prepared vazhakkai fry with salt added

12. Add 1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves and mix. For a slight tang, you can add some lemon juice at this step.

coriander leaves added

Serve banana fry hot or warm as a side dish with sambar-rice or rasam-rice or dal-rice or any South Indian meal of your choice. You can also have them plain or with chapatis or paratha.

vazhakkai fry recipe, raw banana fry recipe

Few more healthy veggie recipes you may on this website:

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vazhakkai fry recipe, raw banana fry recipe

Banana Fry | Aratikaya Fry

Banana Fry or Aratikaya Fry is a mildly spiced and slightly crispy South Indian style banana preparation made with unripe bananas or plantains, spices and herbs
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Cuisine South Indian
Course Side Dish
Diet Vegan
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 2
Units

Ingredients

  • 300 grams unripe banana sliced or 4 small to medium-sized raw unripe plantains or aratikaya
  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 6 to 7 curry leaves
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • salt as required
  • 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Instructions
 

peeling and slicing aratikaya (unripe bananas)

  • Rinse 4 small to medium sized raw unripe bananas first (300 grams). Peel them lightly. I usually remove the black spots and keep the peels as they are. 
  • Slice them in thin rounds and add them in a bowl containing water + a bit of salt (about 1/4 tsp salt), so that they don’t darken.

making aratikaya fry

  • Before you start frying the spices, drain all the water from the raw bananas and set them aside.
  • Heat 2 tbsp oil in a shallow frying pan. Keep the flame to a low or medium and add ½ tsp mustard seeds. Saute till the mustard seeds crackle.
  • Then add 6 to 7 curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida. Stir.
  • Now take the bananas from the water and add them.
  • Mix the bananas with the rest of the tempered ingredients.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder.
  • Mix the spice powders very well with the banana slices.
  • Spread the banana slices evenly on the pan, so that they get cooked evenly.
  • Don’t cover with any lid and saute the bananas on a low flame.
  • Do stir at intervals for even cooking. Turn slices and cook the sides which look uncooked or not roasted or crisp.
  • Cook till the slices become crisp towards the edges. Not all slices will become crisp, but most of them will be.
  • When the banana slices are cooked, sprinkle salt according to taste. Stir and mix well.
  • Add 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves. Mix well. For a slight tang, you can add some lemon juice at this step.
  • Serve aratikaya fry hot or warm with sambar-rice or rasam-rice or dal-rice very well. You can also have them plain or with chapatis.
  • This dish can also be packed in lunch box with a side of paratha or chapati.

Notes

  • The recipe can be doubled or tripled.
  • To make the dish gluten-free skip adding asafoetida or source gluten-free asafoetida.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Banana Fry | Aratikaya Fry
Amount Per Serving
Calories 313 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 1177mg51%
Potassium 748mg21%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 22g24%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 1950IU39%
Vitamin C 87.6mg106%
Calcium 12mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Banana Fry recipe from the blog archives, first published in June 2016 has been republished and updated on December 2022.

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Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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12 Comments

  1. Wow, sooo good! I really like the texture of the bananas when they’re cooked like this. It was my first time cooking with unripe/green bananas5 stars

    1. thanks cedric. the texture of unripe bananas when stir fried or sautéed is too good. you can also try some more unripe banana recipes.

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