Photo: Prakrutim · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Kerala · Dessert

Unnakkaya

Mashed nendrapazham banana shells filled with a spiced coconut, egg, and cashew stuffing, then deep-fried in oil until golden — a crispy-on-outside, soft-and-sweet inside Moplah Eid special from Malabar.

🧺 Ingredients

• Ripe nendrapazham banana: 4 large (peeled, steamed, mashed)
• Rice flour: 3 tbsp (for binding if needed)
• Sugar: 2 tbsp (25 g)
• Fresh grated coconut: 100 g
• Sugar: 80 g
• Egg: 2 (beaten)
• Cashew nuts: 40 g (roughly broken)
• Raisins: 30 g
• Cardamom: 4 pods (crushed)
• Oil or ghee: for deep frying (400 ml)

👩‍🍳 How to make Unnakkaya

1. Steam 4 peeled nendrapazham bananas for 8 minutes until very soft.
2. Mash thoroughly with 2 tbsp sugar until completely smooth.
3. If the mash is very wet, mix in 2–3 tbsp rice flour to bind.
4. Divide into 12 equal portions.
5. Heat a pan over medium heat.
6. Add coconut and 80 g sugar.
7. Stir for 3 minutes.
8. Add beaten eggs, stirring constantly for 4 minutes until the egg is cooked and scrambled through the coconut.
9. Add cashews, raisins, and cardamom.
10. Remove from heat and cool.
11. Flatten a banana portion in your palm into an oval.
12. Place 1 tbsp filling in the centre.
13. Fold the banana mash over the filling and seal completely.
14. Shape into a smooth oval or cylindrical form.
15. Repeat for all 12.
16. Heat oil to 170°C over high heat then reduce to medium.
17. Fry 3–4 unnakkayas at a time for 3–4 minutes until evenly golden-brown on all sides.
18. Turn once during frying.
19. Drain on paper.

Track the macros of Unnakkaya and 100s of Indian dishes with Nutri Macro India.