Ingredients:
• Banana flower (Vazhaipoo) – 1 medium-sized
• Chana dal (split Bengal gram) – 1 cup
• Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
• Dry red chilies – 3-4
• Green chilies – 2, finely chopped
• Onion – 1 small, finely chopped
• Ginger – 1 inch piece, finely chopped
• Garlic – 3-4 cloves, finely chopped
• Curry leaves – a handful, chopped
• Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp, chopped
• Rice flour – 1 tbsp (for extra crispiness)
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – for deep frying
Cleaning the Banana Flower:
1. Grease your hands with a little oil to prevent staining.
2. Remove the tough outer petals and collect the florets.
3. Clean each floret by removing the hard stamen and small petal-like cover.
4. Chop the cleaned florets finely and soak them in water mixed with a little turmeric for 15 minutes to prevent discoloration.
5. Drain the water completely before use.
Preparing the Vada Batter:
1. Soak the Dal: Soak the chana dal for about 2 hours. Drain the water completely after soaking.
2. Grind the Dal: In a blender, grind the chana dal, fennel seeds, and dry red chilies coarsely without adding any water. The mixture should not be too smooth.
3. Combine Ingredients:
• In a bowl, mix the ground dal mixture, finely chopped banana flower, green chilies, onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves, coriander leaves, and salt.
• Add 1 tbsp of rice flour for extra crispiness and mix everything well.
Shaping and Frying the Vadas:
1. Shape the Vadas: Take a small portion of the mixture, roll it into a ball, and flatten it slightly to form a round disc. Repeat for the rest of the mixture.
2. Deep Frying:
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan.
• Once the oil is hot, gently slide the shaped vadas into the oil and fry on medium heat.
• Fry the vadas until they turn golden brown and crispy on both sides.
• Drain the vadas on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Serving:
Serve the banana flower vadas hot with coconut chutney or tomato ketchup as a snack or side dish.
by PrabhurajB