Vazhaipoo Paruppu Usili

I usually don't have any draft or pending posts. I always end up, cooking, clicking and posting. Somehow I had missed this post, which has been lying in my drafts for more than a year now. Infact, prepared it before leaving India. I have not been able to find this veggie after coming here to Amsterdam.

Vazhaipoo is one of my favorites, and this usili is a family favorite. Though the cleaning of this takes a lot of time, but the end result is really good and very healthy too.

Usili paired with mor kootan and rasam is one of the best combos and is loved by all at home.

What you'll need

1. Vazhaipoo – 1 medium sized
2. Toor Dal – 2 tbsp
3. Channa Dal/Kadala Paruppu – 2 tbsp
4. Dried Red Chilly – 1
5. Asafoetida – a generous pinch
6. Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
7. Oil – 3 tsp
8. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
9. Broken Urad Dal – ½ tsp
10. Curry Leaves – few

Method

1. Soak the dals and the dried red chillies for 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Clean the Vazhaipoo, and finely chop the banana flower. Put the chopped vazhaipoo, in diluted buttermilk until use.
3. Wash well and then drain the water completely. Place the chopped vazhaipoo in a cooker vessel. Add salt, and turmeric powder and toss well. Don’t add any water in the vegetable.
4. Cover the vessel and place the vessel in the pressure cooker cook for 2 to 3 whistles.
5. In the meanwhile, drain the dals and grind it coarsely along with red chilly, salt, curry leaves and asafoetida.
6. Grease the idly mould, and pat the ground dal paste, in the idly mould grooves.
7. Steam the dals, just like you do for idly for 7 to 8 minutes.
8. Remove and allow to cool. Once cooled, crumble the steamed dal and place in a mixie jar and just give a quick pulse so that it resembles a coarse powder.
9. Heat a Kadai with oil, splutter with mustard seeds and urad dal. Add curry  and the cooked vazhaipoo. (Strain the vazhaipoo if you feel there is lot of water)
10. Fry this for about 4 to 5 minutes. Then add the powdered dal and fry for another 5 to 6 minutes on medium heat. Keep stirring after adding the dal.

Serve hot with rice and mor kootan and rasam.

 You may also like:

Kothavarangai Paruppu Usili

Cabbage Paruppu Usili

Mor Kootan