I am a fuzzy Vegetable eater and I have never bothered myself to try the veggies mum makes at home. I eat very few selected kootu/poriyal like Aviyal and Cucumber Pachadi. Everything has changed after marriage and I started to eat few more. Back in India, I always have a helper at my home since managing full-time work, blog and the entire home was tough for me without any support. I have learned many things from those helpers since they come from a very different background. I learned this from Laxmi Akka who is an expert in making this kootu. Nowadays, this is also one among my favourite. I give this kootu to Happy, just by mixing it with steamed rice and ghee. It tastes awesome and she never complains about this kootu. Off to the recipe:
Ingredients:Plantain Stem - 1(medium size)
Moong Dal(Pasi Paruppu) - 1/4 cup
Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as required
To Temper:
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Dry Red chilles - 3
Method:
1. Dry roast the moong dal in a Kadai for 3 to 4 minutes until nice aroma comes. Then wash it thoroughly and cook it in a vessel by adding enough water. (You can also pressure cook). The dal should not be cooked until it is mushy, it should hold its shape. Remove the outer covering of the plantain stem.
2. Initially, slice the stem into round discs as shown below in the second tile and remove the string(thread) like fibres with your index finger. Roll the fibre around your finger and remove it completely. Then chop them finely and keep it immersed in thin(diluted) buttermilk to prevent it from discoloring.
3. In a pan, add some oil and allow the mustard seeds and curry leaves to crackle. Then add the urad dal and torn pieces of dry red chilli. Once the urad dal turns golden brown, drain the chopped stem pieces completely from the buttermilk and add it to the Kadai. Sprinkle the required turmeric powder and salt, allow it to cook until it is soft(tender). Sprinkle water in between to avoid it from sticking to the bottom.
4. Now add the cooked moong dal and grated coconut. Mix it all together and cook for another 4 to 5 mins. When the stem, dal and coconut blends together, adjust the salt and switch off the flame.
Serve the yummy and healthy vazhaithandu along with steamed Rice and a drizzle of ghee. I served it along with Thattapayiy Kuzhambu.(I will be posting it this week)
- If you are in a hurry, then pressure cook the moong dal and plantain stem with turmeric powder and salt for 2 to 3 whistles. Then temper the items under 'To temper' and pour it to the kootu. Sprinkle the grated coconut and switch off the flame.
- Instead of Moong dal, you can use tuvar dal(Sambhar dal) too. If adding tuvar dal then add hing or garlic for easy digestion.
- If you prefer more spicy kootu, then you can add a green chilli while cooking the plantain stem.
- Take care to remove the fibres from the stem completely. Just to double check the presence of fibres, You can run a ladle/spoon in a circular motion through the chopped plantain stem immersed in buttermilk. If fibres are present, it will roll up to the ladle and you can remove it easily from the ladle.
Happy's Cook - Divya
Lovely Platter Divya!!
ReplyDeleteI love it anytime....they are so yummm....good one
ReplyDeletePriya @asmallbite
ReplyDeleteDelicious and healthy too...