Go Back
Print Recipe

Sri Lankan Fried Ash Plantain Curry (Badapu Alu Kesel Kari)

This unique Sri Lankan-style plantain curry is flavored with fragrant spices, local herbs, and coconut milk that goes well with any rice and curry meal.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Curry Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine: Sri Lankan
Keyword: Alu Kesel Curry, Fried Alu Kesel Curry, Sri Lankan Ash Plantain Curry, Sri Lankan Fried Ash Plantain Curry
Servings: 4
Author: kanthi

Ingredients

To Fry the Plantains

  • 300 g ash plantain peeled
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • Coconut oil for frying as needed

To make the gravy

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp ginger minced
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced
  • 1 medium-sized onion finely chopped
  • 6 curry leaves
  • 2- inch piece of pandan leaves
  • 2 green chilies split in the middle
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp Sri Lankan curry powder see the notes
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 200 ml thick coconut milk see the notes
  • 200 ml water
  • 1 tbsp sugar optional
  • 1 tbsp lemon/lime juice optional

Instructions

Prepare the Plantain

  • Use ash plantain or sub with green plantain or cooking bananas (read the post for more details).
  • Have a bowl of water seasoned with salt ready to stop the ash plantain from discoloring.
  • Place the plantain horizontally on a cutting board. Then cut off each of the ends from the plantain and discard. Peel the skin. Make sure to remove all traces of green skin. Immediately, Place the peeled plantains in the bowl of saltwater.
  • Remove them from the water and cut them into diagonal pieces. Once you have cut them all, pat dry them on kitchen paper.
  • Add turmeric, salt, and, chili powder and mix well to coat the slices of plantains with the seasoning. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Deep-frying

  • Heat enough oil in a pot and fry the plantains in small batches until cooked through and slightly golden. Transfer the fried banana slices onto paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Make the gravy

  • Heat the oil in a clay pot or nonstick casserole pot on medium heat. Saute the ginger, and garlic until fragrant and then onion until soft and translucent.
  • Add all other ingredients (except plantains, coconut milk, water, lemon juice, and sugar). Stir-fry for about 2 to 3 minutes until all the ingredients are well combined.
  • Pour in the coconut milk/water and mix well. Add sugar if using. Bring the pot to a boil, and simmer for about 5 minutes, without covering, occasionally stirring, over medium heat until the gravy becomes slightly thick.

Assemble

  • Once the gravy slightly reduced, add the fried plantains, and swirl to mix the gravy with them.
  • Reduce the flame to low and cook. When the gravy has reduced to your preferred level, turn off the heat and squeeze 1/4 of a wedge of lime or lemon.
  • Let the curry sit for a while as it helps the fish to absorb the flavors and thicken the gravy.

Notes

I used basic curry powder (Thunapaha). You can also use roasted curry powder (Badapu Thunapaha) or unroasted curry powder (Amu Thunapaha) if you like it that way. You can also use 400ml of thin coconut milk without water.