Unnakaya / Banana Rolls

Unnakaya / Banana Rolls

Unnakaya is a spindle shaped sweet dessert or a snack made up of plantains. It’s a delicacy from Malabar region of Kerala served during weddings, Iftar and other occasion.

The very first time I got to eat this from a friend on an Iftar day and I fall in love with it.  It’s a yummmmmy dessert.  I asked for the recipe from her and was surprised to know that we can do wonders with this plantain. My husband is from Kerala but even he never had it.

This particular recipe is rarely available in shops or in restaurants. For this recipe we need the plantains, which are just about to get ripe. If they are fully ripe then stuffing and making them in shape becomes impossible.

So lets proceed with the recipe.

Ingredients:

4 just about to ripe Plantains / Ethapazham

1 ½ cup Desiccated fresh Coconut

Few raisins and broken pieces of cashewnuts

½ tspn Cardamom powder

1/4^th cup grated jaggery (adjust as per your sweet tooth)

Oil for deep-frying

Method:

    1.    Wash the plantains and steam them for 20-25 minutes. Poke the fork in it to see if they are soft if not steam them further more for 10-15 minutes.

    2.    Let them cool, then peel the skin and mash the plantains or grind the plantains in the mixer without using water till we get the soft smooth dough. Keep it aside.

    3.    In a medium sized bowl mix desiccated coconut, raisin, broken pieces of cashewnuts, jaggery and cardamom powder. Mix them nicely till all are blended very well.

    4.    Grease your hands with oil, take lemon size plantain dough and flatten it in your palm.

    5.    Put a spoonful of coconut mixture in the centre of the flatten dough and fold your hands to seal the edges and to give it a spindle shape.

   6.    Though you can make them in any shape you like.

   7.    Repeat the same with rest of the plantain dough.

   8.    Heat the oil for deep-frying and put one by one banana rolls and fry them till they are golden brown in color. Keep them on the kitchen paper towel to remove excess oil.

   9.    Serve them at teatime, Iftar or any occasion.

NOTE:

• For Unnakaya choosing the plantain is very important as they should not be very much ripe nor raw. They should be just ripe.
•  If they are over ripen don’t try to make Unnakaya, as you will never get the shape of it.
• Sometimes the plantains might not become soft, in that case just steam them for another 10-15 minutes.
•  The plantain dough consistency should be like of a mashed potato.
• For mashing the plantains you can also grind them but don’t add water while grinding, else the binding will break and wont hold the shape.
• For coconut mixture there are many variations some like to add eggs to it, and fry the coconut mixture. While some like to fry the coconut, raisins and cashew nuts in ghee.

Deep Fried Ice cream

Deep Fried Ice cream 

Yeah friends you are reading it correctly “Deep fried Ice cream” and I have not gone crazy. It’s a combination of hot and cold.

It’s actually a treat, which seems impossible by placing a frozen ice cream into boiling oil and still keeping the ice cream in perfect shape. The outcome of this project is truly delicious indulgence that is ideal for dessert, parties and alike.

Ingredients:

6 Scoops of Vanilla Ice cream or (any flavour of your choice)

1 ½ cup Cornflakes crushed

1 Egg

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Method:

   1.    Scoop ice cream and keep it on the tray that can go in the freezer. Keep the tray in the freezer till the ice cream scoops are hard to touch. Max for an hour or depending on freezers cooling system.

  

   2.    In a deep bowl take crushed cornflakes and in other deep bowl beat the egg.

   3.    Now take the scoops out of the freezer and roll them in the crushed cornflakes then in egg and then again in crushed cornflakes coating the ice cream properly with the cornflakes.

   4.    Place the scoops back in the freezer till they are completely frozen.

   5.    Heat the oil in a pan for deep frying until the oil reaches boiling point. Put the frozen ice cream scoops in the oil and just fry till it turns golden brown in color, which is about 30 sec to 1 min.  

   6.    Serve them immediately in the serving bowl and drizzle your favourite toppings.

NOTE:

• Deep fry the ice cream scoops one at a time and serve them immediately or the ice cream will start melting.
• When making for large group make sure that the scoops doesn’t melt hence remove them from the freezer one at a time.
• Outer coating can be made more crunchier by adding coconut, walnut, digestive biscuits or cookie crumbs in cornflakes mixture.