A delicious Kerala snack with ghee roasted plantains & sweet coconut filling…
I would say this is the dear cousin of Malabar kaipola & unnakaya- two of my favorite snacks. Both are made with plantains. Kerala being a tropical land, plantains are found in abundance. A variety of sweet & savoury snacks are made with plantains.
Unnakaya recipe, click here
Kaipola recipe, click here
Plantains are always found sitting on the countertop in most houses in Kerala, the easiest snack that’s made with plantains is pazhampori or plaintain fritters. Or just roast the ripe plantains in ghee, tastes amazing.
Pazhampori recipe, click here
For making this, ghee roasted plantains are layered in a pan, topped with a sweet coconut filling & again covered with plantains. Cooked in a saucepan over low heat, flipped over to another frying pan & cooked again.
When flipped to a plate, it will resemble a cake. Absolutely delicious snack along with the sweet coconut filling tastes out of the world.
Ghee roasted plantains
Sweet coconut filling
- Ripe plantains- 2
- Ghee- 2 tbsp
- Ghee- 1 tbsp
- Grated coconut- ½ cup
- Sugar- 2 to 3 tbsp
- Cashew nuts- 10, roast in ½ tbsp ghee
- Raisins- 1 tbsp
- Egg- 2
- Ghee- 1 tbsp
- I've taken 2 ripe plantains, use medium-ripe plantains.
- Peel off the skin & cut the plantain into 2 equal halves.
- Cut each half vertically into thin slices.
- I've sliced 1 plantain into 8 slices.
- For making a large pola, take 3 to 4 plantains.
- Place a pan over medium heat, add 2 tbsp ghee.
- Place the sliced plantains in ghee & roast till both the sides turn light golden brown.
- Transfer to a plate & keep them aside.
- To the same pan, add 1 tbsp ghee.
- Add grated coconut, saute for a few minutes.
- Add sugar, saute till coconut turns golden in color.
- Slide the coconut to one side of the pan, add ½ tbsp ghee to the other side & add cashew nuts and roast the cashew nuts.
- Add 1 tbsp raisins & saute.
- Combine with the coconut.
- Sweet coconut filling is ready. This can be made ahead of time.
- I've used a small round non-stick saucepan. If making a large pola use a 8-inch round pan.
- Grease the bottom & the sides of the pan with ghee.
- Place the ghee roasted plantain on the pan, keep them close to each other, ensure there are no gaps.
- In a bowl, crack 2 eggs & beat well with a fork.
- Pour half of the egg mixture onto the plantains, spread it evenly.
- Spread the coconut filling over the layered plantains.
- Place ghee roasted plantains on the side of the pan as well, that way the filling will be intact when the pola is flipped over.
- Cover the coconut filling with plantains & ensure there are no gaps.
- Pour the remaining egg mixture over the coconut filling & spread it evenly.
- Close the saucepan with a lid.
- Place over low heat & cook for 10 minutes,
- Don't cook over high heat, plantains will turn brown real fast.
- After 10 minutes, cover the pan with a frying pan & gently flip the pola over to the pan.
- The pola will fall nicely onto the pan & the bottom side will be set perfectly.
- Place the pan over low heat & cook for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, close the pan with a plate & flip the pola over.
- The pola will resemble a cake, ghee roasted plantains with sweet coconut filling in the center.
- This is an absolutely delicious snack.
- Cut the pola into wedges & enjoy.
