RAW BANANA N POTATO CURRY / ALOO KANCHAKOLAR JHOL

What gives me utmost pleasure wherein blogging is concerned? My answer is compiling dishes that I have grown up eating, dishes for which I do not have to browse the internet, dishes whose taste lingers on  till date, dishes which has our grandmother's and mother's touch on them. Today I wished to blog about one such dish. The old lady is at present cleaning up her daughter's home so that I can head to an all decked up home straight from the airport. A refrigerator full of essentials, bedrooms adorned with clean, washed bed covers are what awaits for me. This is the scenario each time I visit. We cannot just say thanks to our own, we need to be thankful in various ways. 

Yet, I get angry with the mother for been overprotective towards both of us siblings. In the process, we failed to learn the basic life skills, to be independent. In her defence, she would say life's lessons are not to be taught, they are to be learnt. Her daughter was not keen about taking interest in the worldly matters and was always engrossed in her own created world of fantasy. Well, I would not deny I am still the same. At any gathering or a party, I choose my own cosy corner and love watching others present while sipping my favourite ones, getting little tipsy. Wherever I am, I create my own ambience.

Whichever part of the world I am in or would be .... I will continue to cook up my desi recipes, laced with beautiful memories. Our mom used to prepare this curry with Raw Banana and Potato, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian versions. Usually she used to prepare Shingi-Magurer Jhol [live cat fish curry] with raw banana and potato. At times she added raw papaya to it. In the vegetarian version of this she used to add dry roasted broad bean seeds[shimer bichi] too. Unable to get shimer bichi, I prepared this vegetarian curry with raw banana and potato for myself, my men are force fed such things alluring with their choice of non-veg dish. I use the raw banana skin too to prepare a yum sides, a bharta. Laughing? That you may but nothing went to the waste bin in the middle class environment we grew up in..... and I do treasure  the values taught. Let us prepare this Raw Banana N Potato Curry together.

INGREDIENTS :

Raw Banana : 2
Potato : 1
Tomato : 1medium [my inclusion]
Ginger Paste : 2 tsp
Cumin Powder : 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As Required
Sugar : 1tsp
Cumin Seed : 2-3 pinches
Bayleaf : 1
Oil : 4-5 tbsp

METHOD :

Peel both the potato and raw bananas. Cut half and then lengthwise further. Wash and chop the tomatoes. Rub the potato and raw banana pieces with a little of salt and turmeric.

Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the raw banana and potato pieces separately in batches. Keep aside. Temper the oil with cumin seeds and bay leaf.

Add the ginger paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir till it melts and separates from the oil. Add the cumin powder, chilli powder, rest of the  turmeric powder and salt. Stir well for a minute. Add the fried potatoes and fold in well.

Add a cup of water and let boil for 2-3 minutes covered. Now remove the cover and add the fried raw banana pieces. Let boil for 2 minutes. Add the sugar, give a stir and let boil for a minute. It is done. 

We love to have it with rice but it goes well with chapati too.