BANANA FLOWER WITH AZUKI BEANS PULUSU(VAZHAPOO THATTA PAYARU KUZHAMBU)

Banana flower (arati poolu) with azuki(adzuki)beans or Red chori beans which is called thatta payaru in Tamil is combined with some ground dhal and spices tastes so good and healthy. It can be served with Steamed white rice accompanied with pappad or vadagams(vadiyalu) and some small onions. Coming to the health benefits banana flower is rich in fibre and beans offcourse is so good source of protein. It tastes so good.

Ingredients :

Banana flower - 1 Chopped
Aduki beans or red chori beans - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - lemon sized ball (get the pulp out of it)
Urad Dhal - 1 tbsp
Channa Dhal - 1 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 1/2 tbsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 5
Coconut - 1 tbsp (scrapped)
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - little for adjusting tanginess
Asafoetida - Pinch
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - For garnishing
Mustard - 1 tsp
Sesame Oil for seasoning

Method :

1. Cook the Adzuki beans in the pressure cooker and keep it aside.
2. Clean the banana flower,chop it and cook in the water until it is done.
3. Dry roast all the spices and dhals one by one. Grind them coarsely by adding coconut to it.
4. Now add the cooked beans with boiled banana flower.
5. To this add ground paste, turmeric, tamarind pulp, Jaggery, Salt.
6. Let it boil and cook for some time like sambar.
7. Now season it with mustard, asafoetida and curry leaves.
8. Garnish with Coriander leaves.

Cleaning the banana flower :

Even though it is a tedious and time consuming process its worth it once we taste the dish.Take the outer covering and remove the bunch of florets remove the stamen in each flower. Chop the florets and soak them in buttermilk avoid discoloration. Repeat the process to the end or center of the flower.

Note:

1. In this dish banana flower can be substituted by bitter gourd, White pumpkin(Poosanikai) also.

2. Banana flower some time give slight bitter taste it all depends upon the variety.

3. Aduki beans can be soaked 6 hrs and cooked in pressure cooker for 1 whistle. If not soaked it can be cooked for more whistles.

4. Reserve the cooked bean water and banana flower water for making pulusu (kuzhambu).