Indian cooking / Dishes / Kele ke Dahi Bare

Kele ke Dahi Bare

Green Banana Dumplings in Yoghurt

Vegetarian●●●Origin DelhiPrep 20 minutesCook 30 minutesMakes 20

Crisp green banana patties are gently spiced, fried until golden, and served immersed in chilled, lightly sweetened seasoned yoghurt.

Dumpling spices

1.3 gMixed into the mashed banana mixture (step 3)

Ground cumin · Jeera Powder

1.3 g½ teaspoon

spice

Keep ready to season the banana dough.

Everything else

Green banana · Kachcha Kelaunpeeled

900 g6 bananas

vegetable

Plain yogurt · Dahi

1014 g1 l

dairy

Granulated sugar · Cheeni

4.2 g1 teaspoon

sweetener

Green chilli · Hari Mirchde-seeded and chopped

6–12 g1–2 chillies

vegetable

Coriander leaf · Hara Dhaniachopped

0.7 g2 teaspoons

herb

Gheefor frying

310 g

oil/fat

Salt · Namak

to taste

salt

Method

Bring 2 litres of water to a rolling boil in a large saucepan, then add 6 unpeeled green bananas and boil for 20 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly and leave to cool slightly.
Whisk together 1014 g plain yogurt, 4.2 g granulated sugar, and salt to taste in a bowl until smooth, then set aside.
Peel the cooked bananas and briefly pulse them in a food processor. Transfer to a mixing bowl and mash thoroughly with a fork, then fold in 6–12 g green chilli, 0.7 g coriander leaf, and the dumpling spices until evenly combined.
Divide the banana dough into 20 equal portions, roll each into a smooth ball, and flatten gently between your palms into thick discs.
Heat 310 g ghee in a kadhai or heavy-based deep pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C (356°F), or until a bread cube browns within 40 seconds.
Fry the dumplings in batches for roughly 3 minutes, turning once halfway through, until crisp and golden brown on both sides.
Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and dust with a pinch of salt to taste.
Immerse the warm dumplings in the whisked yoghurt sauce, ensuring each one is fully coated, and serve.

Don't have something?

Green banana

Raw banana
Use the same weight, peel and boil until tender; virtually the same.
Green plantain
Use the same weight; firmer and starchier, so cook a little longer.
Unripe plantain
Use the same weight; similar, slightly sweeter once cooked.

Plain yogurt

Yogurt
Use equal weight, whisked thoroughly until smooth before adding to hot dishes to prevent curdling.
Coconut milk
Use equal weight with 1 teaspoon lemon juice mixed in. Provides rich creaminess in curries, but adds a noticeable coconut flavour.
Single cream
Use 80% of the weight plus a squeeze of lemon juice for acidity. Enriches sauces nicely, though it is richer and less tangy.

Granulated sugar

Jaggery
Use equal weight; grate or shave finely so it dissolves rapidly, giving a warm, caramel-like sweetness and slightly darker sauce.

Ground cumin

Cumin seed
Dry-roast briefly and grind finely; use equal weight (1:1). Imparts an even punchier, nuttier, toasty aroma than pre-ground cumin.
Ground coriander
Use equal weight (1:1). Adds mild, lemony sweetness rather than cumin's smoky, earthy bite; curries will taste lighter and less savoury.
Black cumin seeds
Grind finely; use 60% to 75% of the weight. Produces a darker, more complex, smoky-herbal flavour suited to rich gravies.

Green chilli

Chilli powder
Use 10 to 15% of the weight (about 1/4 teaspoon per chilli); imparts dry pungent heat and reddens the dish without the grassy crunch.
Dried red chilli
Use 1 dried pod per fresh green chilli; snap in half and temper in hot oil for a deeper, toastier heat.

Coriander leaf

Coriander
Use equal weight finely chopped; this is the exact same fresh herb.
Mint
Use half the weight finely chopped; provides vibrant green freshness, though the flavour profile becomes noticeably cooler and sharper.

Ghee

Unsalted butter
Use 120% of the weight; melt gently over low heat to avoid burning the milk solids, which will yield a softer, creamier richness rather than a nutty aroma.
Vegetable oil
Use 85% of the weight; holds high cooking temperatures without smoking, but the final dish will lack traditional dairy depth.
Mustard oil
Use equal weight; heat to smoking point and cool slightly before cooking, bearing in mind it introduces an assertive, pungent edge.

Similar dishes

Vazhaippazham Chips

Banana Chips

It is dry, crunchy, and purely salty, lacking this dish's creamy, tangy, lightly sweetened, and spiced yogurt base.

Same: Both dishes feature green bananas or plantains cooked by frying.
Different: Vazhaippazham Chips are thinly sliced and deep-fried in vegetable oil, entirely omitting the yogurt, ghee, sugar, cumin, and green chillies used here.

Kachche Kele ke Kofte

Spicy Green Banana Balls in Sauce

Kachche Kele ke Kofte tastes warmer, nuttier, and more robustly spiced, whereas this dish is much cooler, tangier, and lighter from the chilled yogurt.

Same: Both recipes feature fried green banana dumplings seasoned with green chillies, cumin, salt, and sugar, served alongside a yogurt component.
Different: Kachche Kele ke Kofte binds the dumplings with chickpea flour, fries them in vegetable oil instead of ghee, and simmers them in a warm coconut and green pea gravy seasoned with turmeric, Kashmiri garam masala, and ground coriander rather than serving them in chilled seasoned yogurt.

Artikai Pachadi

Bananas in Spicy Yoghurt Sauce

Artikai Pachadi is noticeably spicier, earthier, and savoury without the subtle sweetness found in this dish.

Same: Both dishes combine green bananas with plain yoghurt, seasoned with green chilli, fresh coriander, and salt.
Different: Artikai Pachadi uses boiled bananas rather than dumplings fried in ghee, tempering them with vegetable oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, ginger, turmeric, and dried red chilli while omitting sugar and ground cumin.

Chutney ani Kelwatla Saranga

Pomfret (Butterfish) with Green Masala Chutney & Bananas

Chutney ani Kelwatla Saranga tastes sharp, herbaceous, and savory from lime juice and fish, while this dish is cooler, richer, and mildly sweet from yogurt and sugar.

Same: Chutney ani Kelwatla Saranga also uses bananas seasoned with fresh coriander leaves and green chillies.
Different: Chutney ani Kelwatla Saranga braises pomfret fish in vegetable oil with lime juice and turmeric, whereas this dish fries banana dumplings in ghee and serves them in plain yogurt.