Can I skip the parboiling step?

You can, but the fry will take longer and may brown outside before the inside cooks properly. Parboiling helps keep the center soft and the edges crisp.

Do I need to soak the cut raw banana in water?

If you are not cooking it immediately, yes. Raw banana can discolor after cutting, so keeping the pieces in water briefly helps until parboiling.

How do I know when aratikaya fry is done?

The cubes should be tender inside, with lightly golden crisp edges, and the spice coating should smell roasted rather than raw.

Can I make aratikaya fry ahead of time?

Yes. It can be made a few hours ahead and reheated in a pan just before serving to refresh the texture.

What goes best with this fry?

It pairs especially well with plain rice, pappu, rasam, or sambar, where the crisp spicy fry balances softer main dishes.

Home / Recipes / andhra / Aratikaya Fry

andhraEasyveganvegetariangluten freedairy free

Aratikaya Fry

RATING

4.4/5(87)

TASTE SCORE

7/10

A simple Andhra-style raw banana stir-fry with a crisp edge, soft center, and warm spices. It cooks quickly and pairs really well with plain rice, rasam, or dal for an easy everyday meal.

PREP

15m

COOK

20m

SERVES

1 KATORI

189 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 5 STEPS

prep · ~5 min
Peel and cut the raw banana.
Peel the raw banana and cut it into small even cubes so they cook at the same rate.
boil · ~8 min
Parboil the raw banana.
1.Bring water to a boil in a pan.
2.Add the raw banana, turmeric powder, and half of the salt.
3.Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until just tender but not mushy.
4.Drain the water well and keep the pieces aside.
TIPDo not overcook the banana or it will break while frying.
temper · ~2 min
Make the tempering.
1.Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
2.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
3.Add cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, dried red chili, and curry leaves.
4.Cook until the dals turn light golden and fragrant.
TIPUse a wide pan so the banana pieces fry in a single layer and turn crisp more easily.
fry · ~10 min
Fry the raw banana with spices.
1.Add the drained raw banana cubes to the pan and mix gently.
2.Sprinkle in red chili powder, coriander powder, and the remaining salt.
3.Cook on medium heat, turning every 2 minutes, until the edges look crisp and lightly golden.
4.Keep frying for 8 to 10 minutes without mashing the pieces.
serve
Serve the aratikaya fry hot.
Serve hot as a side with rice, rasam, sambar, or plain dal.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Cut the raw banana into small, even cubes so the pieces parboil and crisp up at the same speed.
2
Drain the parboiled banana very well and let it steam-dry for a minute before frying to avoid soggy edges.
3
Use a wide pan and keep the cubes in a mostly single layer for better browning and less breakage.
4
Wait until the mustard seeds fully splutter before adding the dals, or the tempering can taste flat.
5
Fry on medium heat and turn gently every couple of minutes; frequent stirring can mash the banana.
6
Stop parboiling when the cubes are just tender enough to pierce, since they will cook further in the pan.
7
Leftovers reheat best in a skillet, not the microwave, if you want to bring back the crisp edges.