Kaya- Payar Mezhukkuparatti/ Plantain w/ Long Beans

I am still on my veggie kick so here is another easy to make vegetable which is a lighter form of the traditional mezhukkuparatti or stirfry. I guess it would take a whole sadya(a Kerala veg meal) to satisfy me now, but with my mom on the other side of the country,(on vacation there now) have to settle for a single dish.
Mezhukkuparatti literally means coated with oil, wheras thoran is any vegetable cooked with crushed coconut in it. We used to call all our dry vegetable side dishes as upperi, but in other parts of Kerala it is distinguished as mezhukkuparatti and thoran based on the type of preparation. And they define upperi as chips. Upperi is prepared from various things like raw bananas (kaaya), yam (chena), jack fruit (chakka), bitter gourd (pavayka) and egg plant fruit (vazhuthanga). Slices of the ingredient are fried in coconut oil to a crisp condition. Yum!Yum!

So anyway, my intention was not to sidetrack and cause tidal waves of salivation. This recipe is the way some vegetables are made at my house. Not stirfried, and not with crushed coconut. The vegetables are steamed/boiled with a little water and tossed with a seasoned oil, which acts as a dressing. Its quite similar to the tossed green salads, at some restaurants, seasoned with a hot spicy oil poured over greens to wilt it. Probably this was done to retain most of the nutrients of the vegetables and to balance the rich preparations of the meat dishes. Though made as a side dish with rice, I end up eating it in lieu of salad or a mid day snack.

You will need:
Raw Green Plantains – 1
Yard Long Beans-1/2 bunch
Whole red chilies-2
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder- 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves- One sprig
Salt – to taste
Oil(preferable coconut oil) -1 tbsp

Preparation:
Peel the green plantains with a peeler, removing only one layer. Cut into 4 chunk pieces and then further cut each piece into 8-10 thin long segments. Soak the pieces in a bowl of water with a pinch of turmeric for about 5 minutes and then rinse it well and drain.

Cut the yard long beans (payar) into similar size long pieces. Cook the plantains and the beans in 1/4 cup water with the rest of the turmeric, red chili powder and salt. This should be done covered on low heat for the first 5 minutes and then another 5-7 minutes open. When the plantains are cooked, turn off the flame and check for salt and spice.

Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil and add the red chilies torn into pieces and curry leaves. Pour this oil over the cooked vegetables and toss to combine. Serve with rice.

No frying, no further sauting.. vegetables the Malabar way.