Unnakai - Stuffed Ripe Plantain With Coconut

Unnakai (also called Unnakaya, Kai Ada, Unnakka, and Kai Porichathu) is a spindle shaped sweet dessert made chiefly of plantain. It originated from the Malabar region of India, and is often eaten at weddings other festivities. They are super good with the crunchiness of coconut inside and random bites on the ghee fried cashews and raisins.

My husband and I had been to my in-laws place this weekend. They had prepared Unnakai for us. It was a delight.

I would like to share with you this age old recipe.

Snack Stuffed Banana unnakai is very easy and healthy snack chiefly made of ripe plantain.This is very delicious and sweet dish.

Ingredient:

Ripe banana`s(Nenthra pazham) - 5 nos

Coconut - 1 cup

Sugar - 3 tbsp

Cardamom powder - A pinch

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Oil - As required for frying

Cashew - As required

Steam cook the plantains in a steamer, untill they cook well and turn soft. Peel off the skin and remove the middle seed portion of the plantains and grind them in a grinder without adding any water. Keep it aside. You can also mash them.

Heat the Ghee in a pan and add cashews, raisins and grated Coconut into it. Add sugar into that and mix well till coconut become light brown.

Roll the mashed banana with a rolling pin. Roll it on a greased sheet. Grease your hands with a little oil. Fill coconut mixture in between.

Close and roll in oval long shape. Lock the open sides of the flattened banana mixture and shape them as you see in the picture. Repeat the process with the remaining banana.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Fry this stuffed banana (unnakai) at medium heat until it become light brown. Deep fry them in oil and remove it on to a plate lined with tissue paper to drain away excess oil. Serve it with tea/coffee.

Note: If you are concerned about the deep frying, you can even shallow fry.