Vazhakkai Podimas or Stir Fried Plantain is a very simple and healthy recipe prepared with raw bananas. It does not require much oil or ingredients and can be prepared very quickly. It also tastes delicious as a side dish with rice.
Plantain is a vegetable that is used not only in Indian cooking but in many parts of Asia and Africa as well. It's a starchy vegetable (think unripe bananas, bananas contain carbohydrates a.k.a. fructose, a by product of starch once bananas ripen). Being quite bland on its own, it absorbs flavors well so you can tinker with a variety of flavorings, sauces and condiments.
The long and tortuous history of plantain can be traced back to as early as 500 B.C. It is of South East Asian origin, mostly in Malaysia and Indonesia. This food item was introduced into India by traders. Plantain and banana trade along with yam and other food crops became a very important factor in the wealth, prosperity and rapid expansion of the Bantu Kingdom of central and southern Africa around 1500 AD.
Plantains may look like the average green banana, but it is chock full of healthy vitamins, minerals and fiber that are essential to our body. One plantain supplies several grams of fiber to our diet thus preventing constipation by keeping your intestinal tract working the way it should.
Surprisingly, plantains also have vitamin C, a common vitamin found in most orange-colored fruits and veggies like carrots and citrus fruits. Consuming enough vitamin C helps our body fight off infections that can lead to sickness and also promotes healthy gums, teeth and skin.
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