Banana peel thoran

All parts of the banana plant is usable. It is called the kalpa vriksha or 'tree of life'.
I have already showed you, how the xylem of the plant is used to make pindi thoran or pachadi.
And banana flower can be used to make amazing cutlets.
The raw banana is made into great banana chips.
But what to do with the leftover skin?
It can be made into a healthy tasty side dish.
In our house, this curry has a special unappetizing name - waste thoran!

But I say, wealth from waste with great taste!

Ingredients:

Banana peel - of 8 bananas

Green gram dal - 1/4 cup

Small onion / shallots - 4

Curry leaf - 2 sprigs

Oil (preferably coconut) - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp

Red chilli - 3

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder / flakes - 1 tsp

Coconut - 1/2 cup

Green chilly - 1

Method:

Cut the peel into thin slices.

Soak the dal on water for minimum 2 hours, if possible overnight.

Boil the dal until it softens. Do NOT use the pressure cooker.
Once softened, add the banana peel and mix well.
Add the salt and turmeric powder. Cook till the dal gets well cooked and the peel softens.

Heat the oil and splutter the mustard seeds. Then add the urad dal and red chillies.
Once the dal turns red, add the cut onions and curry leaf.

When the onion becomes translucent, add the red chilly flakes.
After 30 seconds, add in the boiled dal and banana skin.

Cook uncovered and stir well to evaporate all the residual water.
Grind the coconut with the green chilly without adding any water.
Add this to the thoran and mix well.

Serve hot with rice and either ordinary rasam, garlic rasam or sambar.