Banana stem, Mung Dal Kootu Curry

Ingredients

1 ½ cups banana stem cut to small pieces  CLICK HERE for the video how to remove fibre from the stem

¾ cup skinned, split green gram (mung dal), soak for ten minutes

2 cups water

1/3 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

To grind

¾ cup grated coconut

3 flakes of garlic

1/3 tsp cumin seeds

1 green chilli

To season

1 tbsp oil

¼ tsp mustard seeds

1 red chilli broken to pieces

A few curry leaves

Instruction

-          Keep the cut banana stem with half cup water, salt and turmeric powder on medium fire to cook. Check in between if more water needs to be added. In about ten minutes, it will be cooked.

-          Meanwhile, keep the soaked mung dal with salt and 1 ½ cups of water on medium flame. When it boils, reduce the flame and let it cook for ten minutes.

-          Grind the grated coconut with all spices, add this to the cooked banana stem kept on low fire. Also mix in the cooked dal.

-          Let it simmer for five minutes and season it.

-          Serve with steamed rice or chapatis. 

Banana stem, mung dal kootu curry served with jowar rotis, cucumber slices, and mango pulp.

Banana stem (Vazha pindi) Thoran

Banana stem is packed with nutrients and fibres.  It prevents kidney stones, anaemia, helps in weight loss, cures constipation, keeps diabetes under control, checks hyperacidity and helps in detoxification. Since it is fibrous and contains threads, you should know the preparation of the stem and cutting. We Malayalis love this preparation.

Method of removing fibre and cutting

Ingredients

2 cups finely cut banana stem

1 medium sized onion finely cut

Salt to taste

½ cup water

To grind

¾ cup grated coconut

1/3 tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp cumin seeds

3 flakes of garlic

To season

1 tbsp oil

¼  tsp mustard seeds

1 red chilli broken to pieces

A few curry leaves

Instruction

-          Cook the finely cut banana stem and onion with salt and water for about 10 minutes till it is tender.

-          Meanwhile, roughly grind grated coconut with all the spices.

-          Add this to the cooked banana stem kept on low flame. Keep it covered for two minutes and then season it.

-          Serve with steamed rice and dal. 

                                     Here it is served with steamed rice and mango pulissery.