
I love shopping at the local Vietnamese stores called Viet-Wah for some fresh vegetables like the Murungai keerai/Moringa Leaves, Vazhai Poo and most Indian vegetables and also for some fresh seafood. Most often they carry the Vazhai Poo and I can never resist buying then although preparing them for cooking is a big hassle.
Vazhai Poo kootu is a tradional Tamil recipe with a unique taste which only some could relish. Some great tasting and healthy recipes involves elaborate preparations and Vazhai Poo kootu is no exception. Add some light seasoning to the cooked Vazhai poo and lentils for a simple lunch with rice and appalam.List of ingredients:
- 1 Vazhai poo/ Banana Flower
- 1/2 cup Thuvaram Paruppu/Thur Dhal.
- 1 tablespoon grated coconut
For Seasoning :
- 1/2 teaspoon Mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Broken Ullutham paruppu/urid dhal .
- few curry leaves.
- 2 to 3 broken red chillies
Procedure:
- Prepare the Vazhai poo as shown here and finely chop the cleaned stamen like you would chop an onion.
- Immerse the chopped flower in a vessel with water mixed with a tablespoon of yoghurt/ curd. Repeat until all the flowers are chopped. Set aside for about 12 hrs. This process will remove the bitterness.
- Cook the paruppu/dhal with turmeric powder in a pressure cooker and keep aside.
- Heat 2 teaspoon of oil in a kadai/pan , add the mustard when it splutters, add the ullutham paruppu/urid dhal and when this turns light brown, add the red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida and immediately add the chopped vazhai poo . Add 1/4 cup water and simmer until the vazhai poo is cooked. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Now add the the cooked paruppu/dhal .
- Add the grated coconut, salt and simmer for another 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with rice with little ghee, varuval and appalam .
All the work is just worth it. I have never had vazhaipoo kootu and this looks so good.
ReplyDeleteI love vazhappoo..But normally I end up making thoran with it :-) This looks wonderful, maybe I should try this next time i get a vazhappoo
ReplyDeleteoh my you have so much patience to clean it up and make this delicious kootu. The pic is so Appetizing
ReplyDeleteVAzhappoo is delicious to eat, if someone makes it for me. I don't like to clean and do the prep work to cook with it. The kootu looks mouth watering.
ReplyDeletemy mom makes this... prepping it is a time-consuming process, isn't it? yours looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteWow I did not know that banana blossoms were edible. Lovely recipe. it's interesting to see the different uses for familiar ingredients in various cultures. I have only used the fruit and the leaves never the blossom of the banana. Amazing what you can learn on blogs. thanks for the info
ReplyDeleteThis is new to me most probably we make vadai with valaipoo....ur kottu looks gud!
ReplyDeletelooks delicious..a very healthy dish.
ReplyDeletei used to prepare the vazhapoo thoran(stir fry),its one of our favorite..i have posted the recipe If u get a chance have a look
http://pranithworld.blogspot.com/2010/03/vazhakoombu-thoranbanana-flower-stir.html
simple, easy and comforting...these kind of dishes go a long way compared to the elaborate preparations...
ReplyDeleteTC
Never made or tasted vazhaipoo kootu,make poriyal/usli or vadai..thnks for a wonderful recipe! Superb picture!
ReplyDeleteHealthy kootu, my favourite one with potato roast..
ReplyDeleteI am so hungry seeing that dish.
ReplyDeleteWe make a dry 'upperi' dish with Vazhapoo but this looks easy a nd tempting! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeletethis click is drool worthy..love this one..makes me hungry..
ReplyDeleteI love vazhaipoo kootu and vadai..kootu with rasam is my fav combo, but sometimes the flowers here are bitter..no matter how much you take out the stems inside..
ReplyDeleteRuchika,
ReplyDeleteTo remove the bitterness you should immerse them in water mixed with a tablespoon of yogut/curd for about 12 hrs which I have mentioned above. This tip usually works for me.
Thanks for the idea cilantro..actually I have tried it, soaking it in buttermilk will also make them not get those black marks..here is my version http://ruchikacooks.com/?p=1341
ReplyDeleteI am told a lot of shops buy them in bulk and freeze them and then thaw it as per the seasons requirement..so the bitterness may be..
Even though the cleaning is hassle, it is worth every min or hours we spent! I get the vazzai poo but it is always not so fresh. Love kootu!
ReplyDeletefirst time here...very impressed... ur snaps and recipes are simply superb...
ReplyDeleteLovely Picture, Cilantro!..
ReplyDeleteI make this Koottu once a month (supposed to make this once a week);)
My Husband loves vazhaipoo koottu with steamed rice and ghee.and yeah I restrict to once or twice a month thinking abt the elaborate preparation with the vazhai poo..:)
I usually make poriyal with vazhaipoo. This is a new recipe. Will def try it the next time I get vazhaipoo
ReplyDeleteNice recipe.. looks soo delicious and perfect.. first time here.. Lovely blog!!
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