Balakaya (raw banana) thoran

Servings: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes.
Cooking time: 15 minutes.
Seasoning time: 5 minutes.
Total time: 30 minutes.

Balakaya Thoran (Raw Banana Stir-Fry; Kerala Style)

“Balakaya (raw banana) thoran”, also known as Raw Banana Thoran, is a traditional and wholesome dish from the lush culinary landscape of Kerala.

Made with raw green bananas (balakaya), freshly grated coconut, and a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chillies, this stir-fry is a classic example of how simplicity and local ingredients create soul-satisfying meals in South Indian kitchens.

Served as part of a sadya (traditional Kerala feast) or a regular home-cooked meal, Balakaya Thoran is not only rich in fiber and nutrients but also packed with coastal aroma and homely warmth.

My favorite traditional dish from south India; topped with signature herbs, combining the aromatic flavour of curry leaves red chilli, dry coconut gives the wonderful taste and is healthy too. Relish the recipe…

Ingredients:

Raw banana: 2 no. (Medium size, vegetable verity)
Onion: 1 no.
Madras onion (small variety): 10-12 no.
Green coriander leaves: 2 tablespoon (chopped)
Garlic: 2-3 flakes
Green chilli: 1 no.
Dry coconut: ¼ no.
Coconut oil/cooking oil: 2 table spoon
Salt: 1 teaspoon (as per taste)
Mustard seed: ½ teaspoon
Red chilli: 1 no.
Curry leaves: 1 twig
Asafoetida: 1 pinch
Turmeric powder: ½ teaspoon

Preparation:

Chop madras onion, keep aside.
Roughly chop and grind onion, along with coconut, green chilli and garlic to paste, Keep aside.
Peel off banana, slice longitudinally into 2-3”pieces, keep aside.

Method:

Boil/ microwave it (just required quantity of water so that there is no water left after boiling); add prepared paste, curry leaves, turmeric powder and a tablespoon of oil into it, stir and cook for couple of minutes, put off the flame, keep aside.

Seasoning:

Take fry pan, put oil; when it smokes, add mustard seeds, red chilli and asafoetida wait till it sputters.
Add chopped onion; stir fry until it gets light brown in colour, put off the flame.
Add this seasoning and chopped green coriander leaves into prepared banana sabji, stir and transfer in to serving bowl; serve this as a side dish at lunch or dinner.