Banana Leaf Officially in Blue Zone BCHD!

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Banana Leaf, Redondo Beach is honored to be an official participant in the Blue Zones Project®. This represents is a community-wide approach to creating healthier and more productive citizens.

Owner-Chef Sri Sambangi proudly places the decal on the window with BCHD’s Jackie Uy, Well-Being Programs Coordinator. The restaurant offers Southern Indian and an American menu in honor of Banana Leaf’s inspiration, writer Barbara Hansen.

The project is a partnership with Beach Cities Health District. Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach have all placed in the top five of these communities globally!

Food and dining are key in this promising evidence-based program. So is community. Here the community came together to meet the staff and enjoy the food at Banana Leaf.

Melissa’s Produce, known for healthy produce, contributed raffle prizes and special Pink Pineapples for the occasion, along with two magnificent food baskets.

Banana Leaf Redondo Beach with its South Indian Cuisine is the most recent of the 64 Blue-Zone officially approved Beach Cities restaurants. Special menus and events to follow!

Banana Leaf, Redondo Beach is honored to be an official participant in the Blue Zones Project®. This represents is a community-wide approach to creating healthier and more productive citizens.

The program extends to an international level under the umbrella of by ShareCare. Our favorite Dr. Michael Crupain, advisor and cookbook author, is VP of ShareCare.

For more information please see: www.bchd.org/about-blue-zones-project.

Baby stuffed eggplant is the Banana Leaf signature Blue Zone recipe. The southern Indian style dish is rich with peanuts and coconut oil and made with baby eggplant that is more tender and sweet than larger ones. They are available to order online at //Melissa’sProduce

This remarkable eggplant variety is about the size of a large tomato, oblong egg-shaped, with the same dark purple skin as its much larger, more familiar Italian cousin.  But it’s much sweeter and creamier inside with fewer seeds and a medium-thick edible skin that does not require peeling before being cooked. The interior has a creamy texture. 

While technically a fruit, eggplant is prepared as a vegetable and found in cuisines worldwide. One of the most versatile of ingredients, eggplant can be baked whole or cut in half, steamed, grilled, sautéed or braised. Because of Indian eggplant’s single serving size, it is perfect for stuffing with other veggies or meats and roasted.

This authentic and spicy curry recipe made with tender and small eggplant in a peanut and coconut-based sauce from the andhra cuisine.  The dish is generally served with healthy roti or naan.

The main ingredients and method:

Soak 8 baby eggplants and cook until tender in fresh pan with 2” canola or vegetable oil. Make an x shape in each eggplant. 

Combine an equal mixture of toasted coconut, peanut and white sesame seeds.  Grind the mixture into a powder.  Add Turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Stuff the mixture into the eggplant. 

For eggplant 8 brinjal / eggplant, small

• 1 tsp salt
• A shallow pan of water fo soaking eggplants

for masala paste:

• 3 tbsp peanuts
• 2 tsp sesame seeds 
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin / jeera
• ¼ tsp fenugreek
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 2 pods cardamom
• 4 clove
• 2 tbsp dry coconut, sliced
• 1 inch ginger
• 3 clove garlic
• ¼ onion, sliced
• 1 tsp red chili powder
•  ¼ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
•  ¼ cup water

for curry:

• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp cumin / jeera
• 1 chilli, slit
• 2-3 fresh curry leaves
•  ½ onion, sliced
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
•  ½ cup tamarind extract
• 2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

• Make an x-shape cut in the eggplant, stalk still on.
• soak  for 10 minutes in water, with 1 tsp salt added to avoid discoloring.

Masala Paste

Roast 3 tbsp peanuts until they are crisp.

Add sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin, methi, cinnamon stick, cardamom and clove.  Roast on low flame until spices become aromatic.

Add 2 tbsp dry coconut and roast slightly.  Cool completely and transfer to the blender.   Add ginger, garlic, onion, chlli powder, turmeric and salt. blend to a thick paste adding ¼ cup water.

Gently stuff the eggplants by way of the x-shape with the prepared masala paste.

in a large Pot heat 3 tbsp oil and splutter 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp cumin, 1 chilli and few curry leaves.

Sauté onion until it just starts to turn golden. Add turmeric and chili powder. Sauté on low flame until blended.

Add stuffed brinjal into the mix and sauté gently. 

Cover and cook for 2-4 minutes stirring occasionally, adding in any leftover masala paste until and sautéed well.

Add ½ cup tamarind extract and mix well adjusting consistency as required.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes stirring in between until tender.  The masala ooze out slightly. Add 2 tbsp coriander and mix well.