Vazhaipoo vadai/Banana flower cutlet

Vazhaipoo is my favourite vegetable. Mostly I make poriyal or kootu out of it than vadai counting the healthier reason. But occasionally we need a twist in the routine. Some of my friends make usili also.Something interesting, after separating most of the petals from the flower towards the last part where you find delicate petals and layers you can just have it raw, believe me its delicious. My mum always gives me that part to eat saying its good for ladies. But when choosing a banana flower make sure there’s no black stains in the petals at least in the first few layers(this ensures its fresh), but we can’t be sure about the rest inside.

Vazhaipoo vadai/Banana flower cutlet

Cuisine: Indian/South

Category: Side dish/Starter/Snack

Serves: 4

Prep time: 2 hrs

Cook time:30 min

Ingredients:

1 medium sized Vazhaipoo/Banana flower

½ cup gram dal soaked for 1 ½ hours

¼ cup roasted gram powdered

1 large onion chopped

2-3 green chili chopped

1-2 garlic pod with skin

1” Ginger minced

½ cup coriander leaves chopped

1 spring curry leaves chopped

½ tsp hing

½ tbsp fennel(optional)

Oil to deep fry

Salt as needed

To make the Vadai:

1. Soak gram Dal for 1 ½ hours.

2.Separate the flowers of the vazhaipoo and remove the thick plastic like petal and the match stick like strand from the flower.(if you keep it while cooking it releases bitterness)Chop the flowers into small pieces and boil till half cooked with a pinch of turmeric and ½ tbsp of salt. Drain water and keep aside.

3.Grind the roasted gram to a fine powder and keep aside.

4.Now drain the water and grind the soaked gram Dal with vazhaipoo and garlic pods to a slightly coarse paste.

5.Transfer to a bowl and add chopped onion chili coriander leaves curry leaves ginger roasted gram powder and salt. Mix well ensuring all the ingredients are evenly spread out into the dough.

6.Heat oil. Make small balls out of the dough and flatten it to make vadai shape or make shapes according to your desire.

6. After sliding vadai into the oil reduce flame to medium and cook till golden brown on both the sides.

Serve hot with coconut chutney/sambar and rice/tea/coffee.

Note:

If you find the dough is not tight the you can add some more roasted gram powder to adjust the consistency.

For ½ cup gram Dal 1 cup vazhaipoo will be a good ratio.

No need for oil to be super hot but when you drop a piece of dough it should start to sizzle.

You can see a small piece floating in the oil other than vadai which is lemon skin. It removes the odor of oil, you can also use a pinch of tamarind. After it turns brown you can remove it.