Banana Stem Fry

Ingredients:

• Banana stem 250gm, finely chopped
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 6-8 dried jackfruit seeds
• 3 dried whole chillies
• 5 tsp mustard oil/ vegetable oil
• Some cracked black pepper
• 1/3 tsp chilli flakes
• Turmeric powder
• Salt as per taste

Preparation of banana plant pith

• Take the stem and cut lengthwise the outer shell
• Remove the shell by pulling apart. Keep on removing the shell, there may be more than one.
• Once you reach the core, peel it very carefully from the surface.
• Now cut it into round slices, while doing so, lots of thread like fibres will come out, remove that by spindling it on your finger tips.
• Now cut the slices into small pieces.
• Now put chopped stem in a bowl, add some salt and mix well. Leave for 10-12 minutes. Salt will help to release lot of water.
• Squeeze out a handful banana stem  and discard the water.
• By this method remove all excess water from the chopped stem, now it will look like roughly meshed stuff.
• Now this is ready for cooking.

Method:

• Wash and boil/roast jackfruit seeds till half boil. Remove and keep aside.
• heat oil in a saucepan or kadai and add chopped onion and dried chillies.
• After 1minute add ginger-garlic paste and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes.
• Now add chopped stem and jackfruit and stir fry for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle some water and cover with a lid.
• Cook over low heat till the banana stems are soft and all the water dries out.
• Serve hot as side dish with rice and daal.