Unnakaya/ Unnakai /Kayi ada

Unnakaya is another Malabar special delicacy made with medium ripe plantain which is stuffed with a sweet coconut filling.

This time, it was my 11 year old  who did the stuffing part and I think he did a pretty good job shaping it like unnakayas.

Here goes the recipe

Ingredients ( makes 8 unnakayas)

Medium ripe plantain – 2

Grated coconut – ½ cup

Cashewnut – 1 ½ tbs ( chopped pieces)

Raisins/sultanas – 2 tbs

Sugar – 2 tbs

Cardamom – 5 pods

Ghee -1 tbs

Oil for frying

Method

• Steam cook the plantain for about 8-10 minutes. Do not overcook it, otherwise it becomes too watery and you won’t be able to shape it.
• Peel the skin and slit the banana into half to remove the black seeds inside.
• Mash the banana well without any lumps to form smooth dough.
• Powder 5 cardamom seeds with 2 tbs sugar and keep it aside.
• Add ghee in a pan on medium heat and when it melts add chopped cashews.
•  When it starts to turn light brown, add raisins. Fry it until it plumps up.
• Add grated coconut to it and fry for a minute or so. 
• Add cardamom sugar and cook for few more seconds until sugar melts.Filling is ready.
• Take a lemon sized ball of the mashed banana and flatten it with your palm.
• Place some filling in the middle and seal the edges and shape it like unnakaya.
• Repeat until all the dough is used up. I got 8 unnakayas from two  medium sized plantain.
• In a pan add oil and heat it on a medium flame. When the oil is hot fry the unnakaya in batches by flipping the sides in between until it’s golden brown.                                           

Enjoy !