For active and growing school kids

A ripe plantain sliced, shallow fried in "ghee" and lightly dusted with sugar and cardamom powder is a wonderful afternoon snack for active young children, especially just after a long day at school. It is calorie dense and easy to eat. If you have loved these as child, it is probably difficult to resist them later on too.

Serves 4
Preparation and cooking time: 20 to 30 minutes

Ingredients

1. Ripe plantain (nendrapazhum variety) - 4 (or 1 per child)
2. "Ghee" or clarified butter for shallow frying
3. Sugar - 2 to 3 teaspoons
4. Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Method

1. Peel and cut each plantain in two in the middle. Slice each piece again to get 4 slices from each fruit.
2. In a frying pan, heat 4 tablespoons of "ghee".
3. Lay some plantain slices in the hot ghee and fry on medium flame. Turn over when the top is golden. Add more "ghee", if required.
4. When the slices are a golden brown on each side, place them side by side in a dish that has a cover.
5. Sprinkle the sugar and cardamom powder and cover the dish.
6. Open after about 20 minutes, when the sugar has mostly melted and run down the slices.
7. Serve warm.

Tips

"Nendrapazham" is a variety of ripe plantain available in Kerala.

As soon as you place the limp fried plantains in the dish cover it, as this helps create a warm atmosphere where the sugar melts a bit to seem like honey.

Cardamom powder is optional. This may be omitted or replaced by any other spice powder such as cinnamon, if you like. (Cardamom powder may be made by crushing a few cardamom pods and separating out the fibrous covering.)

"Ghee" or clarified butter is very good for growing kids. It is recommended that "ghee" made from milk is used and not hydrogenated oil.