Fried Accompaniments - Ash Plaintain, Pappadam, Chillis

Healthy Sri -Lankan Tamil vegetarian dishes often get eaten with deep fried salty accompaniments like the ones pictured above (I know, so much for healthy right?  I think its our way of feeling less guilty when we pair it oh so good and healthy vegy meals).  

Ash Plaintain Fry (Valakkai Poriyal/Green Banana Fry)
Ingredients:

• 1 Ash Plaintain
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Sri Lankan curry powder
• salt to taste  

1.  Cut the ash plaintain into about 1cm thick rounds.  
2. Add turmeric, curry powder and salt to taste.  Mix well.
3. Make sure the mixture is not wet.
4. Heat oil in a pan.  Test by frying one round.  If it burns too quickly your oil is too hot.
5. Fry until golden brown and crisp on the edges but still soft in the middle (if its not crisp on the edges, it will be too soft and if its crisp in the middle it will be too hard!) 

Ash Plaintain/Green Banana

Coated in a spice/turmeric mixture

Fried Ash Plaintains!

 Fried Buttermilk Chillis
These chillis are deep fried and taste spicy and salty!

Simply use the same oil you used to fry your plaintain, make sure its hot and start popping them in.  When they change colour to a dark brown, you know they are done - if they turn black - you've fried them too long and they will be really hard!

 

 Pappadam (Appalam)

These are disc-like wafers that become crispy when deep fried and have a slight salty aftertaste.    To prepare, deep fry them and make sure they are not in too long or they will turn dark and hard.  They should be a nice light golden colour when ready:

 

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Assorted Pickles/Yogurts

Plain Yogurt, Lime Pickle, Malay Pickle

Most Sri Lankan Tamil vegetarian dishes include accompaniments like the ones pictured above.  A dollop of plain yogurt, sour pickles and chutneys does wonders to enhancing the existing flavours.

Besides the yogurt, you can find a wide array of assorted pickles and chutneys at any South Asian grocer.  The Malay Pickle however is a very common accompaniment that can be eaten with meat dishes as well.  This pickle consists of preserved chunky vegetables such as carrots, onions, and hot chillis!

On a side note, my mother in law makes all her pickles and chutneys from scratch.  I have not come to that level but I can't wait till I'm at that point to share those recipes and techniques with my readers :D

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