Restaurants›Bombay Delight - Wimbledon›Valakkai Poriyal Recipe

Valakkai Poriyal Recipe

Inspired by Bombay Delight - Wimbledon
Time35m
Serves4

Traditional plantain fritters made with gram flour, carom seeds, curry leaves, coconut, and Jaffna spices

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Ingredients

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Batter & Main

Tempering & Frying

Method

Prepare Plantain and Batter

1

Peel and slice plantains

Peel the plantains and cut into 1/8-inch thick diagonal slices (about 1/4 inch at the widest). Aim for uniform slices so they cook evenly. You should have roughly 2 cups of sliced plantain.

2

Make spiced gram batter

In a mixing bowl, combine gram flour, rice flour, turmeric, Jaffna red chili powder, carom seeds, and salt. Gradually add about 3 tablespoons of water and whisk to form a thick, slightly flowing batter that will coat the plantain slices (consistency like pancake batter but a bit thicker). Adjust water by 1/2 tablespoon increments if needed.

3

Add coconut and curry leaves

Fold in the finely chopped curry leaves and grated coconut into the batter so they are evenly distributed.

4

Coat plantains

Add the sliced plantains to the bowl and toss gently until every slice is well coated with the batter. Let rest 5 minutes to allow the batter to adhere.

Tempering and Frying

5

Heat oil and temper

Heat a wide nonstick or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat and add about 6 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add mustard seeds and let them pop. Add urad dal and fry until pale golden. Add a pinch of hing (optional).

6

Shallow-fry coated plantains

Reduce heat to medium-low. Gently arrange the batter-coated plantain slices in a single layer in the pan (do not overcrowd; fry in batches if necessary). Fry for 2–3 minutes on the first side until the batter sets and the underside is golden-brown. Flip carefully using a spatula and fry the other side another 2 minutes until golden and crisp. Maintain medium-low heat so the plantain cooks through without burning the batter.

7

Drain and keep warm

Transfer cooked fritters to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Keep warm in a low oven (about 90°C / 200°F) while you fry remaining batches.

Finish and Serve

8

Once all batches are fried, adjust seasoning if needed (sprinkle a little extra salt or a squeeze of lemon if you like). Serve hot as a snack or side with chutney or cups of tea. Leftovers can be reheated in a skillet for crispiness.