Kaaya vellapayar mezhukkuvaratti

Ingredients:
Kaaya (green plantain) cut into small pieces - 2 cups
(These should be soaked in water along with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder.)
Vellapayar (red cowpeas) - 1 cup
Red chillies - 2/3
Shallots - 10
Curry leaves
Gram dal - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Salt - according to taste
Onion cut into small pieces - 1 small cup (optional)

Method:
Boil the plantain pieces and cowpeas and keep aside. Crush the shallots and red chillies.

Heat a frying pan with the oil in it.

When the oil turns hot, put in the mustard seeds, gram dal and the curry leaves. When they splutter, put the crushed shallots and red chillies.

Then put the boiled plaintains and stir well.
Add the cowpeas and stir well.
Add salt if you need (if you have added it while boiling the plantains and cowpeas, you probably wouldn't need much).
Add the cut onions if you prefer a crunchy feel to the dish. We did!