Vazhaipoo Vadai, Banana Blossom Fritters

Vazhaipoo Vadai – Banana Blossom Fritters. A very unique and tasty vadai’s prepared with ground banana blossoms. It is one of the tastiest vadais you will make. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Vazhaipoo vadai / Banana Blossom Vadai is unlike any other common South Indian fritters. The uniqueness of this recipe is that the banana blossoms are ground and added to the batter. Removing the Pistils and the Calyx from the banana blossoms will cut the bitterness from it. This is one of the tastiest vadais. Its very crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. These need to be had hot. Otherwise they lose their crispness when cold. Prepare more than you think you will need as everyone almost always come for second servings. It is perfect for an evening snack.

The banana blossoms needs to be cleaned well before it can be cooked with. Here is how to do it. Cleaning the banana blossom may stain your fingers. The black sap that comes from the florets may leave stained fingers and clothes. Apply oil to your hands before cleaning. If you remove the reddish leaves, there will be yellow tipped florets that we will be cooking with. These are soon to be bananas. The florets needs to be cleaned though. Remove each floret and pull the stick like pistil with a bulgy top to the right. This is very bitter and inedible, When you pull the pistil to your right, the calyx (the small, thick, light pink color petal like thing) will come out. Remove that too.

Remove the pistil and calyx and discard. They are inedible. We will be cooking with the florets.

Here is a picture of the cleaned florets.

After removing 5-6 layers of the maroon leaves, the florets inside will be very young. They need not be cleaned. They can be used as such. The inner hearts are also edible. They can be cut and used.

Storing: Take a bowl and add water to it. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the bowl. Soak the cleaned florets in it. Many people in India use buttermilk. But I have found that vinegar+water solution keeps the florets from becoming bitter and more effective. The florets needs to be immediately soaked in the water+vinegar mixture to avoid discoloring and also to avoid it becoming bitter. You can keep this in the fridge and use it the next day. Drain the water completely before using.

Now lets make the vazhaipoo vadai!

Soak the chana dal in water for 2 hours. Do not soak longer than that or the vadai will consume a lot of oil while frying.

Take a mixie and add in the cumin, fennel seeds, dried red chillies, ginger and garlic. Add a couple of tablespoon of the soaked chana dal and grind to a coarse paste. DO NOT use any water to grind.

Once the masala is coarsely ground, add drained chana dal on top of the ground masala and grind again. Please do not add water while grinding. Its very important. Pulse several times if necessary. Open the mixie inbetween and clean the sides with a spatula so the batter will be evenly ground.

Now add the banana blossom to the mixie and grind again. If you do not have a heavy duty mixie, chop the banana blossoms before adding.

Remove the ground batter to a bowl and add in the chopped onions, coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chillies, a pinch of asafoetida and the salt. Mix well to combine.

Mix well and check for seasoning. Add extra salt if necessary. Form the vadai. Take a small lime size batter in hand and make a ball. Make small balls. Remember that smaller balls makes for crispier vadai’s. Gently flatten it on the hands. Gather the edges to smoothen. The more you flatten, the more crispier the vadais.

Gently lower the vadais in hot oil and cook the vadai on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

After the first batch, check for seasoning. We get to eat first 🙂

The vadais need to be had hot. They will lose the crispiness when cold. The batter can be stored in the fridge for upto a day. Make vadais hot and serve immediately.

• 1 cup Banana Blossom, cleaned
• 1/2 cup chana dal
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 sprigs curry leaves, chopped
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• a pinch of asafoetida
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Vegetable oil to deep fry

1. Soak the chana dal in water for 2 hours.
2. Take a mixie and add in the cumin, fennel seeds, dried red chillies, ginger and garlic. Add a couple of tablespoon of the soaked chana dal and grind to a coarse paste.
3. Once the masala is coarsely ground, add drained chana dal on top of it and grind again. Please do not add water while grinding. Its very important. Pulse several times if necessary.
4. Now add the banana blossom to the mixie and grind again. If you do not have a heavy duty mixie, chop the banana blossoms before adding.
5. Remove the ground batter to a bowl and add in the chopped onions, coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chillies, a pinch of asafoetida and the salt. Mix well to combine.
6. Mix well and check for seasoning. Add extra salt if necessary. Form the vadai. Take a small lime size batter in hand and make a ball. Make small balls. Remember that smaller balls makes for crispier vadai’s. Gently flatten it on the hands. Gather the edges to smoothen. The more you flatten, the more crispier the vadais.
7. Gently lower the vadais in hot oil and cook the vadai on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
8. Serve immediately.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Appetizer
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Serve hot to your family.

• 1 cup Banana Blossom, cleaned
• 1/2 cup chana dal
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 sprigs curry leaves, chopped
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• a pinch of asafoetida
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Vegetable oil to deep fry

1. Soak the chana dal in water for 2 hours.
2. Take a mixie and add in the cumin, fennel seeds, dried red chillies, ginger and garlic. Add a couple of tablespoon of the soaked chana dal and grind to a coarse paste.
3. Once the masala is coarsely ground, add drained chana dal on top of it and grind again. Please do not add water while grinding. Its very important. Pulse several times if necessary.
4. Now add the banana blossom to the mixie and grind again. If you do not have a heavy duty mixie, chop the banana blossoms before adding.
5. Remove the ground batter to a bowl and add in the chopped onions, coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chillies, a pinch of asafoetida and the salt. Mix well to combine.
6. Mix well and check for seasoning. Add extra salt if necessary. Form the vadai. Take a small lime size batter in hand and make a ball. Make small balls. Remember that smaller balls makes for crispier vadai’s. Gently flatten it on the hands. Gather the edges to smoothen. The more you flatten, the more crispier the vadais.
7. Gently lower the vadais in hot oil and cook the vadai on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
8. Serve immediately.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Appetizer
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/vazhaipoo-vadai/

Recipe for Prawn Pepper fry with Curry Leaves, Karuveppilai Iral milagu varuval. கருவேப்பிலை இறால் மிளகு வறுவல். Recipe with step by step pictures.

This simple recipe of Prawn pepper fry comes together in minutes. This recipe is usually done with small prawns or what we call it as podi Iral in Tamil. Prawns are roasted along with freshly cracked black pepper and finely chopped curry leaves. It is finally finished with a dollop of ghee. It goes so well as a side dish with rice.

Here is how to do it. First lets clean the prawns. To devein the Prawn, slit in the middle so the veins are exposed. Remove the black veins. Wash it once in water and the Prawns are ready.

Take a bowl and add in quarter teaspoon of salt and turmeric powder to the cleaned prawns. Mix well and let it marinate for ten minutes.

Here is the masala you will need to make this Prawn Pepper Fry.

Make sure that the curry leaves are finely chopped so it will coat the prawns well when cooked.

Roasting the Prawns Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the finely chopped small onions (Indian shallots), ginger and garlic (crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle and add) and curry leaves. Add in the remaining salt.

Saute well for 4-5 minutes till the shallots are nice and golden.

Add in the marinated prawns and the black pepper powder.

Saute for 3-4 minutes. Prawns cook real fast. So keep sauteing continuously so the masalas adhere well. Once the Prawns are cooked and nicely roasted, finally add in a teaspoon of ghee. Roast for another minute.

Remove the pan and squeeze half a lemon. Serve immediately.

This goes very well with rice.

• 250 grams Prawns, preferably small variety
• 1/4 teaspoon salt + 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 10 small onion – Indian shallots, finely chopped
• 1/4 inch piece ginger
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 sprigs curry leaves, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. To devein the Prawn, slit in the middle so the veins are exposed. Remove the black veins. Wash it once in water and the Prawns are ready.
2. Take a bowl and add in quarter teaspoon of salt and turmeric powder to the cleaned prawns. Mix well and let it marinate for ten minutes.
3. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the finely chopped small onions (Indian shallots), ginger and garlic (crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle and add) and curry leaves. Add in the remaining salt.
4. Saute well for 4-5 minutes till the shallots are nice and golden.
5. Add in the marinated prawns and the black pepper powder.
6. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Prawns cook real fast. So keep sauteing continuously so the masalas adhere well. Once the Prawns are cooked and nicely roasted, finally add in a teaspoon of ghee. Roast for another minute.
7. Remove the pan and squeeze half a lemon. Serve immediately.
8. This goes very well with rice.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu