Vazhakkai fry recipe – Tamilnadu style simple raw banana stir fry. Raw banana or unripe banana is widely used in Indian cuisine for making stir fry, curry, kofta, bajji and kootu. Raw banana that are used for cooking are different from the variety that’s eaten ripe. They are high in protein and other vital nutrients so I use it often in our diet.

Vazhakkai fry is eaten as a side with rice and Sambar or Rasam. However it can also be served with lemon rice, curd rice or variety rice like Peanut rice or Curry leaves rice.

I have earlier shared these andhra style Raw banana fry and the Masala Aratikaya fry. For the Andhra style recipes we normally use garam masala and chilli powder to spice up the dish.

This vazhakkai fry is spiced with sambar powder and red chili powder. I have used this homemade Sambar powder. You can even use ready made one. I have also used red chilli powder which can be skipped to make it moderately spiced.

Vazhakkai fry – stepwise pics

1. Wash the raw bananas and chop off both the ends. Peel the skin completely. High amounts of pesticides are used in the cultivation of bananas, so it is good to peel the skin completely unless you are using home-grown produce.

2. Slice the bananas and add them to a pot of water. Slice them evenly and not too thick or too thin.

3. Heat a wide pan with oil. Add mustard, cumin, red chilli and urad dal. You can also skip the dal.

4. When the dal turns golden, throw in the curry leaves and sprinkle hing.

5. Lower the flame and add the turmeric, sambar powder and red chili powder.

6. Mix it well.

7. Drain the banana slices and add them here.

8. Mix well and fry for 2 minutes. Then sprinkle 1 to 2 tbsps of water. Mix well.

9. Cover and cook on a very low to medium flame until the banana slices turn tender. If needed sprinkle more water and then stir and cook covered again.

10. Check if the vazhakkai has cooked properly.

11. Sprinkle salt evenly.

12. I sprinkle another tbsp of water since I use pink salt that is coarse. This way the salt dissolves and coats the banana slices well. I also cover and cook for 2 to 3 mins.