Raw banana-rice dumplings/ Balekai pakoda

I had about 1 cup of raw banana dosa batter. I thought of converting it to this crispy snack to munch during evening tea. This was the snack my mother used to prepare in my childhood days. It can be done with raw jackfruit during jackfruit season.



Ingredients:
Raw banana (Robusta/ Elakki) – 3-4 small/ 1 large
Rice – 1 cup
Maida/ gram flour – ¼ cup, if using gram flour, use little less 
Onion – 1 big
Green chillis – 2 (as per taste)
Ginger – 1 inch piece
Curry leaves - 1-2 strands
Salt – to taste
Cooking soda - a pinch (optional)
Oil – for deep frying

Method:
  • Wash and soak rice for 4 hours. 
  • Peel off raw banana, cut into pieces and dip in water for 5 minutes. Drain water. 
  • Wash soaked rice. Grind rice, banana and ginger to smooth paste by adding little water. 
  • Add salt to taste. 
  • Chop onions, green chillis, curry leaves finely. Add these to the rice – raw banana batter.
  • Add maida/ gram flour and mix well. Adjust the consistency (to drop) which should be thicker than idli batter (neither too watery, nor solid).
  • Pour oil to a frying pan, heat it up. To check the readiness, drop a bit of batter to oil which should float. 
  • When done, take about a spoonful of dough in hand, give a round shape and slide into oil. 
  • Fry until golden brown.
  • Serve these with tomato sauce or ‘Mint Yogurt’. 
  • Enjoy the snack with hot tea or coffee.
Click here for the ‘Mint Yogurt’ recipe. 


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