Vazhaipoo special.

Am back after more than a month of absence from my blog space! A lot of things have happenend the last few weeks! But, I am much more energized after this break! I have been able to kinda of set things in order in both my personal and office front. I get enough "my" time these days to pamper myself with afternoon naps, meditation, peaceful beach walks, relaxed shopping etc...(at the cost of S working hard ;)

I have been religiously trying for the past few weeks to include lots of vegetables and fruits in my diet(which was kinda of lacking for the last few months) to get back my Iron levels and overall for a better health of mine.

Here goes the delicious vazhaipoo receipes (kootu & usuli) which I generally dont make considering the time and effort involved to prepare the same.

What a beautiful creation of GOD to hide the tiny yellow flowers of banana inside a bright wine red covering. The main trick to be able to cut the banana flower is after removing the white stigma("kallan" in tamil). Use your hand and hold a few banana flower and shake them at the end against your palm, you will be able spot the white stigmas. Once you remove that, you will be able to cut the flower. You need to soak the cut flowers in butter milk so that the color of the flower doesnt change. If you have not removed the stigma, you will not be able to cut using knife. So, thats the quality checkpoint for beginners ;)

The quantity you will get for 1 medium sized banana flower bunch can be used to make both kootu and usuli curry for 3 people. Its so cheap and very healthy too!!!



Vazhaipoo kootu(my mother's style) :

1)Steam cook the cut Vazhaipoo in cooker in a container without water.

2)Steam cook 1 handful of toor dhal in cooker.

3) In sunflower oil, fry coriander seeds(3/4 handful), white urad dhal(1/2 handful), channa dhal(1/4 handful), red chilly(4-5, depending on the spice), hing powder.

4) Grind the step 3 mixture along with 1/4-1/2 of cocunut shell.

5) In a kadai, add oil, splutter mustard seeds, add the cooked vazhaipoo, grinded spice mixture and add salt, turmeric. Let the spices get blended with the vazhaipoo. Then, at the end , add the steamed toor dhal and allow to boil for few minutes , garnish with curry leaves.



Vazhaipoo usuli:

1)Soak toor dhal(2 handful), channadhal(1 handful) for about an hour or so.

2)Steam cook vazhaipoo as above for kootu.

3) Grind the soaked dhal mixture (step 1), 1 red chilli, 1 green chilli, salt, hing powder into a course paste (dont add water while grinding).

4) Steam the grinded dhal mixture(step 3) after making patties shape in idly pan and allow it to cool.

5) Using your hands, crush the step 4 steamed dhal mixture.

6) In a kadai, splutter mustard seeds, add urad dhal/channa dhal and wait it changes to slight brown color, now add the step 5 dhal mixture and fry it till in becomes a little crunchy.

7) Add the cooked vazhaipoo to step 6 mixture and mix well, add salt. Allow the flavours to get blended for a few minutes. Season with coriander and curry leaves.