Banana Vadis

2 large, unripened green bananas

1 tablespoon ground pistachio nuts

2 tablespoons blanched and ground almonds

2 tablespoons raisins (soaked in hot water)

¼ cup flour

1 tablespoon garam masala

½ teaspoon salt

pinch of hing

¼ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

½ small green chili (minced)

2 cups yogurt

2 cups ghee

Boil green bananas until skins pop open. Drain and cool, then peel and mash. Add flour, salt, hing, grated ginger, and chili.

Mash together raisins and ground nuts. Make 12 pellet-size balls with this fruit-and-nut combination.

Now make 12 2-inch balls with the banana mixture. With your index finger, make an indention in a banana ball and place a fruit-and-nut pellet in it. Mold banana mixture around pellet. Then in the palm of your hand form each ball into an oval shape.

Heat ghee in skillet over medium heat. When hot add stuffed banana vadis and fry for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain and put in serving dish. Cover with yogurt and sprinkle with garam masala. Serve cold.

Makes 1 dozen