Pazham Nirachathu/ Stuffed Plantains

If you are searching for quick, simple, healthy, filling and nutritious snacks, this might be a good fit. Sometimes getting kids to eat banana can be a real challenge, so I’m always thinking of fun new ways to present it to little ones who resist it. As u all know that the essential nutrients is must to keep them healthy and strong. Pazham Nirachathu (Banana with sweet coconut filling) is a traditional Malabar snack that is mainly served for guest during an evening tea, or during Iftar. This is a very tasty snack with coconut filling and dipped in maida batter.

Pazham Nirachathu is the Malayalam word for Stuffed Banana. Ripe Banana stuffed with grated coconuts, nuts and then it is fried in ghee. This is a tasty snack with filling and dipped in batter and fried. In this we do not cut the plantains into many pieces just a slit and will fill that portion with filling. It is such a simple and easy snack which can be prepared in just a matter of minutes using the ingredients that are always seen in the pantry and not only that this is healthy, filling and nutritious snacks. I can assure you that your family and Kids will love this snack. It is a very healthy snack for kids.

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• Plantain/ Ripe Bananas (Nenthrapazham ) – 4
• Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup
• Cardamom Powder – 1-2 tspn
• Broken Cashewnuts and raisins – 1/4 cup
• Sugar – 1/4 to 1/2 cup or more as per your taste
• Ghee – 3 tbspn
• All purpose flour – 5 tbspn
• Water – as required
• Oil – for deep frying

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. In a pan heat ghee and roast dry fruits until they turn nearly brown. Switch off the flame. In to the same pan, add grated coconut and sugar and cardamom powder and mix well. Keep this aside.
2. Now Peel and cut both the ends of banana. From at least half inch of one end make a slit in the plantain lengthwise. i.e the end parts remain intact and won’t open.
3. Stuff the filling into these slit using hands.
4. Make a medium thick paste of maida and water. Cover the slits using these paste. You can also coat the entire banana with the same batter, but thinner version. This is to restrain the stuffing to come out while frying.
5. Repeat, till you are done with all the bananas.
6. Heat oil in a pan and fry them till they turn golden brown.

[/directions]