Green Plantain and Black Pulse Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 seer (approximately 900g / 2 lbs) black pulse (black gram / urad dal) (A seer is a traditional South Asian unit of weight equivalent to roughly 900g. Use whole black gram (urad) with pods/husks on, as these will be removed after soaking.)
• 1 enough to submerge the pulse water (Use enough water to fully cover the black pulse by at least 5cm (2 inches) for soaking.)
• 10 medium plantains green plantains (Use firm, unripe green plantains — not yellow or ripe bananas. These are starchy and savory, not sweet.)
• 1 to taste salt (Add salt according to your preference. Start with about 1 teaspoon and adjust after mixing.)
• 1 to taste cumin seeds (Whole cumin seeds are traditional. Start with about 1 teaspoon and adjust to your preference.)
• 1 enough for shallow or deep frying ghee (Use enough ghee to fry the dried cakes — roughly 200–300ml for shallow frying, or more for deep frying. Ghee has a high smoke point and gives a rich, nutty flavour.)

Instructions

1. 1Place 1 seer (approximately 900g) of black pulse into a large bowl or pot. Pour in enough water to submerge the pulse completely, with at least 5cm (2 inches) of water above it. Leave to soak for six hours at room temperature. This softens the pulse and loosens the outer pods, making them easier to remove. Tip: You can start this soak in the morning so it is ready by the afternoon, or soak overnight if that suits your schedule better.
2. 2After soaking, drain the water from the black pulse. Rub the soaked pulse between your palms or use your fingers to loosen and remove the outer pods (husks). The pods should slip off easily after soaking. Discard the husks. You can also do this by rubbing the pulse in batches between two clean cloths or by rubbing handfuls together under running water. Pick out any remaining pod fragments. Your goal is clean, dehusked pulse kernels.
3. 3Transfer the dehusked pulse to a stone mortar (or a modern food processor or blender). Grind or blend the pulse until it forms a thick, slightly coarse paste or flour-like consistency. A stone mortar gives a traditional texture, but a food processor works well — pulse in short bursts rather than blending continuously, to avoid making it too smooth. The paste should hold together but not be runny. Set aside.
4. 4Take approximately ten medium green plantains. Using a sharp knife, cut off both ends of each plantain. Score the skin lengthways along one or two of the ridges without cutting into the flesh, then peel away the skin with your fingers or a spoon. Green plantain skin can be tough and may stain your hands — wearing kitchen gloves is optional but helpful. Discard the skins.
5. 5Place the peeled plantains on a chopping board and cut them into small pieces — roughly 1–2cm (about half an inch) chunks. Small pieces are easier to bruise and blend into the pulse paste in the next step.
6. 6Using a pestle, the flat of a heavy knife, or the bottom of a heavy bowl, bruise the plantain pieces lightly. You are not trying to mash them completely — just crush them enough to break the fibres and release some of their starchy moisture. They should look rough and broken, not smooth. This helps them incorporate into the pulse paste more easily.
7. 7Add the bruised green plantain pieces to the bowl containing the ground black pulse paste. Mix them together thoroughly using a large spoon or your hands until the plantain and pulse are well combined into a unified dough-like mixture.
8. 8Add salt and cumin seeds to the mixture. Start with approximately 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, then adjust to your taste. Mix the whole mixture thoroughly so the seasoning is evenly distributed throughout. Taste a small amount of the raw mixture and adjust seasoning if needed.
9. 9Take small amounts of the mixture and shape them into flat, round cakes using the three fingers of your right hand — your thumb, index, and middle finger — as described in the original recipe. Each cake should be roughly the size of a small cookie or disc, about 4–5cm (1.5–2 inches) in diameter and 1cm thick. The three-finger shaping technique creates a characteristic slightly pinched, rustic shape. Work quickly and firmly to ensure the cakes hold together. If the mixture is too wet to hold shape, you can let it rest for 5 minutes uncovered.
10. 10Lay a sheet of fine white cloth (such as a clean muslin cloth or cheesecloth) on a flat tray or surface in a sunny outdoor spot or on a sunny windowsill. Place the shaped cakes in a single layer on the cloth, leaving a small gap between each one so air can circulate. Leave them to dry in the sun for one to two days, turning them over once halfway through drying to ensure both sides dry evenly. The cakes are ready when they feel firm and mostly dry to the touch. In humid or overcast conditions, drying may take longer. If sun-drying is not possible, you may dry them in an oven on the lowest setting (50–60°C / 120–140°F) with the door slightly ajar for several hours until firm and dry.
11. 11Once the cakes are fully dried, heat a generous amount of ghee in a heavy-bottomed frying pan or karahi over a medium heat. You need enough ghee to come at least halfway up the sides of the cakes for shallow frying, or enough to submerge them fully for deep frying. When the ghee is hot (a small piece of mixture dropped in should sizzle immediately), gently lower the dried cakes into the ghee in batches — do not overcrowd the pan. Fry until they are golden brown and cooked through, turning once, about 3–5 minutes per side depending on thickness. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a clean cloth or kitchen paper. Serve warm.