Vazhaipoo( Banana flower/ Banana blossom) puli kuthi kootu

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Banana blossom/ Vazhaipoo                                                         1 nos

Tamarind                                                                                       1 lemon sized ball
Sambar powder                                                                              1 tsp
Asafoetida                                                                                      1 pinch
Channa dhal/Kadalai paruppu                                                        1 tbsp
Toor Dal/ Thuvaram paruppu                                                        1 handful
Turmeric  powder                                                                           1/2 tsp
Dhaniya                                                                                           1 tsp
Red chillies                                                                                      1 nos
Dessicated coconut powder/fresh coconut gratings                         1 tsp/ 1 Tbsp
Salt                                                                                                   As needed
Oil                                                                                                     1 tsp
Mustard seeds                                                                                    1/2 tsp


Procedure

1. To clean and cut banana blossom/ vazhaipoo, pls refer to this link: http://vegfoodiescentral.blogspot.com/2014/10/vazhaipoo-banana-flower-banana-blossom.html
2. Pressure cook toor dal with turmeric powder and water
3. Soak tamarind in lukewarm water and extract syrup.
4. In a saucepan, simultaneously add cut banana blossom/vazhaipoo and add the tamarind syrup and water just enough to immerse the vazhaipoo/banana blossom , add sambar powder and asafoetida and bring it to boil , let it simmer until banana blossom florets are soft .  It takes about 12 mins. Add a bit of water. It should have a consistency of a gravy.
5. Add salt at this point and let it boil for a few more minutes.
6. Incorporate pressure cooked toor dal and let the mixture boil for 5 more mins. Keep checking for water to maintain the right consistency
7. Simultaneously, heat a small stir fry pan. Add a drop of oil. Add channa dhal, dhaniya seeds, red chili and fry until  the dhal golden brown. Add coconut powder/fresh coconut gratings, mix  and switch off the stove. Keep mixing until the coconut powder turns golden 
8. Grind this to a paste adding very little water.
9. Add the paste to the boiling mixture, add little water, mix well, reduce the heat to low and bring the mixture to a boil. Switch off the stove. 
10. Serve it with hot rice and potato/senaikezhangu/seppankizhangu fry.

 

Vazhaipoo (Banana flower/ Banana Blossom) poricha kootu / gravy

Ingredients:

Banana Flower/Banana Blossom/ Vazhaipoo                             1 whole
Mung dhal/ Payathamparuppu                                                  1/2 cup
Ground nuts                                                                           A handful
Turmeric powder                                                                    1/4 tsp
Dessicated coconut powder/ Coconut Grating                            1 tsp/ 1 tbsp
Jeeragam/Jeera                                                                       1/2 tsp
Red chillies                                                                           1 no
Salt                                                                                      As needed


To temper:

Oil                                                                                       1 tsp
Mustard seeds                                                                       1/2 tsp
Curry leaves/ Karuveppilai                                                     1 sprig


Method:

To clean and cut the banana flower/banana blossom, if you have not done that before, please watch this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXHXwSLFnzE

Please use sesame oil instead of mustard oil on hands and do not peel the plastic petal... just the center stem for this recipe. Rest everything is the same. For a clearer understanding of what I say, please refer to the pictures below.


Banana blossom/ Banana Flower/ Vazhaipoo petals peeled

Remove the center stem only from each of the florets  ( These are the removed center stems)

Cleaned Florets

 Cut the florets as tiny as possible

Process of making poricha kootu:

1,) Clean and cut banana flower/ banana blossom/vazhaipoo

2.) Pressure cook ground nuts with water.

3.)  To 1/2 cup of mung dhal/payathamparuppu, add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder and enough water to immerse it and pressure cook it

4.) Add  water to the cut banana flower/banana blossom/Vazhaipoo in a saucepan, just enough to immerse it and boil well until its soft.
5.) Add the pressure cooked mung dhal/payathamparuppu to the cooked vazhaipoo and mix it well and add enough water to make it as a gravy and let it boil for 5 minutes in medium heat. Stir occasionally at this point to prevent it from burning.
6.) Add salt as needed and some more water if the gravy has thickened a lot and let it boil for 2- 3 mins.

7.) Grind dessicated coconut powder/coconut gratings and jeeragam/jeera and Red chilli together to a powder or a paste in case of gratings. I have used dessicated coconut powder in this recipe. So it will be a powder. Add water to make it a paste.

8.) Add  this paste to the kootu/gravy and mix well and bring the heat to low. If the gravy is too thick, add very little water to make the consistency right and mix well.
9.) Let the mixture come to a boil in low heat, switch of the stove,  remove from heat and serve.

It goes very well with hot rice, as a side dish to rice with vethakozhambu and pachai milagai ennai kozhambhu.