Vazhaipoo vadai / Banana Blossom Vada 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. Banana flower is rich in nutrients, including fiber, antioxidants, and numerous minerals. Emerging research indicates that it may aid digestive health, prevent prostate enlargement, support bone health, and help lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels. So, Incorporating this as a healthy food to kids in very important. But they wont like if we prepare and give banana flower as poriyal or kootu. So, the one interesting idea is to mix with vada batter. These are the crisp and yet soft tasting vadas making with banana flower and yellow split peas (Pattani Paruppu). My neighbor aunty prepare biryani with these banana flower that’s also a good idea. To make vazhaipoo vadai, you will need cleaned and chopped banana flower. Cleaning banana flower takes time. So, you can prepare it some hours or a day before you make the vadas. It’s very crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. These need to be had hot. Otherwise, they lose their crispness when cold. The fried fritters are then infused with strong Indian spices like the fennel seeds, red chilies, garlic and curry leaves and coriander leaves. 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.
- Remove the paper like cover and the style-stigma from each flower. Removing both these structures from each banana flower take a lot of time. They are removed as they are not digestible and also makes the dish bitter if added. Keep on working on each flower and discard the unwanted elements in a bowl or a plate. Collect each cleaned flower in a bowl. Remove the bracts. Collect the flower and clean them.
- 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.
Watch Vazhaipoo vadai / Banana Blossom Vada recipe.
Vazhaipoo Vadai | Banana Blossom Fritters | Evening Snacks
Ingredients
Instructions
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Take yellow split peas (Pattani Paruppu) wash twice and soak for about 1.30 – 2 hrs.
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Along with peas soak some red chillies.
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Take banana flower and clean properly by described in video.
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Remove the large petals one by one, take small flowrates stick on the bracts, and slightly rub on the top of it.
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Now take each floret and check for the two parts that need to be discarded.
- Perianth or tepal - these are the outer papery like covers that protects the stamens and the stigma. These translucent cover needs to be removed. You just need to pluck it from the floret.
- Style - this is a long sticky structure with a bulb like top. The bulb like top is the sticky stigma. Both style and stigma need to be discarded. pluck it from the floret.
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Remove these two unwanted parts in every flower or it will cause bitter taste and also cause indigestion.
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Stop cleaning till you reach the white thick part, heart of the flower. Finally, you can chop this use directly.
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Wash twice the cleaned flowrates, and keep boil water for cooking.
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Add cleaned banana flowers in to boiled water.
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Cook in low-medium flame until cook nicely and water get shrink completely.
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To grind vada mix, in a mixie jar add soaked red chillies.
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Add fennel seeds.
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Grind them to rough coarse mixture.
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Add soaked yellow split peas without any water.
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Add natural sea rock salt.
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Sprinkle little water and grind them in to coarse paste and transfer in to bowel.
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In the same mixie jar add cooked banana flowers.
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Pulse grind to make rough coarse paste without add any water.
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Add chopped onion.
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Add chopped garlic cloves.
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Add chopped green chillies and coriander leaves.
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Mix everything well.
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Take small ball sized vada mix and slightly palm press between the hands.
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Make correct shape and thickness. Not too thick or thin.
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Heat the pan with oil for frying.
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Check the oil with to drop a small portion of vada mix, it has to come quickly to the top of the oil.
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Drop vada one by one. Do it in batches to avoid crowding.
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Cook in medium flame do not disturb immediately. After 2-3 minutes flip carefully.
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Fry until all vada reach crispy golden-brown colour.
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Very healthy, hot and tasty Banana flower- yellow split peas vada is ready for munching.
Note
- To get crispy Vazhaipoo vadai, grind the vada batter coarsely.
- Adjust the salt and chillies quantity based on your taste preference.
- While grinding if the water gets exceed, add rice flout to reach correct consistency. If the batter becomes excessively moist, vadas absorb more oil
