Nenthra Pazham Cutlet

An unusual snack with an usually available raw ingredient. I am talking about Nenthra Pazham (Ethapazham: a type of Plantain ) which is mostly available in Kerala round the year. There are varieties of snacks that is prepared out of these sweet plantains and I am sharing with you a snack which is different from the usually prepared snacks out of these plantains.

Ingredients

• Nenthra pazham (ripe): 2 nos 
• Rice flour: 2 tbsp
• Ghee: 1 tbsp
• Cashews: 5-6 chopped
• Raisins: 10-12 
• Coconut: 1/2 cup 
• Sugar: 1/4 cup or slightly more depending on preference
• Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
• Bread crumbs to coat the cutlet
• Milk to dip the cutlets
• Oil for deep frying 

Method

• Cook the bananas with the peel on until soft. Once cooled remove the peels and seeds. Smash well and add the rice flour and mix well to form a dough and keep aside.

• In a pan heat the ghee and roast the cashews and raisins
• To this add the coconut and roast for 3-5 minutes
• Add the sugar and continue mixing for 3-5 minutes
• Finally add the banana mixture to this and mix well until everything is well incorporated
• Make cutlet sized roundels out of this mixture once the mix is cooled

• Dip these cutlets in milk and coat it with the bread crumbs and prepare all cutlets in same manner and keep aside 

• Heat oil to deep fry the cutlets. Once oil is moderately hot drop in the cutlets one by one and deep fry it until golden brown by occasionally flipping the cutlets so that it gets evenly browned on all sides.
• Once done transfer to a kitchen towel to shed excess oil.
• Serve hot 

Happy cooking!!

Shabana