Vaazhaithandu Poduthool (Banana stem poriyal)

     Banana stem is one of the edible parts of a banana plant, having rich nutritional value. Rich in fiber, potassium & helps prevent kidney stones. Has cooling properties and is beneficial to overall health. Back home, banana stem finds its place in our kitchen atleast once in a week, especially on the weekends, whenever I get back to Pondicherry, my hometown after a week long hectic work & stay at PG in Chennai.

     Weekends were usually a luxury for me, with my favourite dishes, long hours of sleep and boundless pampering & love :P Which obviously makes Monday mornings, very unwelcome :D to leave home back to work.

     During childhood, I used to watch with much surprise and fondness, how efficiently my grandma slices the banana stem and removes the excessive fibre after each slice. Lovely days !!! And she chops them down into unimaginably fine pieces !!!

Prep Time: 10 mins || Cook Time: 25 mins || Serves: 2 ||  Category: Side-dish

Ingredients:
1. Banana Stem (Vaazhaithandu) - 1 medium sized
2. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
3. Split urad dal - 2 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
5. Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
6. Green Chilly - 1 small
7. Salt - as required
8. Hing (asafoetida) - 2tsp
9. Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
10. Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Method:
1. Wash the banana stem and cut it into thin slices, immersing the slices in buttermilk mixed water, to avoid browing of the vegetable. Cut the slices into thin strips and chop them finely and keep the chops immersed in the buttermilk water.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add urad dal and reduce the flame. Add turmeric powder followed by a pinch of asafoetida. Drain the chopped banana stem from buttermilk and add it to the pan. Cook covered for about 10 mins with intermediate stirring.

3. Blend the coconut gratings with a green chilly and add this to banana stem and cook for 3-4 mins. (The blending step can be skipped and the coconut grating and chopped green chillies can be added separately to the vegetable). Add required amount of salt and cook for 5 mins. Lastly add some coarsely chopped curry leaves. Cook for a min and switch off the flame.

Suggestions:

• Dry red chillies can also be added instead of green chillies.
• If you want the curry to be dry, in order to remove the moisture from banana stem, powder 2 tsp of roasted parboiled rice (idly rice) with 1 red chilly and add it after adding coconut. If following this step, accordingly reduce/avoid the quantity of green chillies to balance the hotness.