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Alu kesel curry
අළු කෙසෙල් කරිය (alu kesel curry): golden-fried ash plantain simmered in a mild turmeric and coconut milk gravy
Alu kesel, the grey-skinned cooking plantain whose name means ash banana, is picked green and treated like a vegetable, and this creamy curry is a regular on Kandyan lunch tables and at temple almsgivings, where it fills out the spread cheaply and well. The slices are rubbed with turmeric and salt, fried until golden at the edges, then simmered in coconut milk with unroasted curry powder, fenugreek, cinnamon and pandan, so they turn soft and starchy like potato with a hint of banana sweetness. It sits happily beside parippu, a green mallung and a sharp pickle. Peeling the plantains with dry hands is a messy mistake, because the sap stains skin and knives black; oil your hands and the blade first. Chef's tip: frying the slices before they go into the gravy keeps them in neat pieces; unfried plantain tends to fall apart and thicken the curry into paste.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the plantain
- 3 green ash plantains (cooking bananas)about 500 g
- 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp vegetable oilfor shallow-frying
For the curry
- 1 onionsliced
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 2 cloves garlicsliced
- 1 sprig curry leavesleaves picked
- 3 cm piece cinnamon stick
- 1 /4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 5 cm piece pandan leaf (optional)
- 1 ¼ cups thin coconut milk
- ¾ cup thick coconut milk
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: With oiled hands, cut the ends off 3 green ash plantains (cooking bananas), slit the skin lengthways and peel it off. Cut into 1 cm diagonal slices and toss with 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric and half the ½ tsp salt.
Step 2: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry the slices in batches for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until golden at the edges. Set aside.
8 minStep 3: Pour off all but 1 tbsp of the oil and cook 1 onion, 2 green chillies, 2 cloves garlic, 1 sprig curry leaves, 3 cm piece cinnamon stick, 1 /4 tsp fenugreek seeds and 5 cm piece pandan leaf for 2–3 minutes until the onion softens.
3 minStep 4: Stir in 1 tsp unroasted Sri Lankan curry powder and the remaining ½ tsp salt for 30 seconds.
1 minStep 5: Add 1 ¼ cups thin coconut milk and the fried plantain and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until the plantain is tender right through.
10 minStep 6: Pour in ¾ cup thick coconut milk and heat for 2 minutes without boiling. Serve warm with rice.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does alu kesel curry take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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