Vazhaipoo Paruppu Usili / Banana Blossom Lentil Crumble
Vazhaipoo Paruppu Usili is a traditional South Indian Tamil Brahmin Recipe made with Banana Flowers or Banana Blossom. A No Onion No Garlic accompaniment or side dish for rice and chapati. Made with lentils, it is extremely healthy and filling vegetable. Gluten Free, Vegan and Plant Based Recipe.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 3 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 no Vazhaipoo / Banana Flower / Banana Blossoms (Quantity of flowers depend on the Vazhaipoo Bunch)
- 2 tbsp Sesame Oil (1 tsp for greasing hands for chopping Vazhaipoo )
- 1 tsp Urad Dal
- 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds or Rai
- 3-4 nos Whole Red Chillies (I have used Pondi Chillies)
- Few Sprigs of Curry Leaves
- 1 pinch Turmeric Powder
- Salt to taste
- INGREDIENTS FOR LENTIL CRUMBLE OR PARUPPU USILI
- 1/4 cup Chana Dal (1 cup is 250 ml measurement )
- 1/4 cup Toor Dal
- Water to wash, soak and steam the dals as required
Instructions
- 1
FIRST STEP - To Make Lentil Crumble or Paruppu Usili
- 2
Wash and Soak the 1/4 cup Chana Dal and 1/4 cup Toor Dal separately for an hour.
- 3
Drain the water in the colander, give a quick rinse and allow it to sit for 10 minutes until the residual water has also drained out.
- 4
Now add both these ingredients in a mixer grinder jar and pulse them once or twice until coarse (do not add any water)
- 5
Collect the coarse dal mixture on a greased steamer plate and steam them for atleast 15 minutes.
- 6
Once they have steamed, cool completely and pulse them in a mixer grinder. (note - I have written pulse which means just one or two turns of the grinder and not more than that) we are looking for a coarse sand mixture not a wet sticky one). Use immediately and store balance, if any, within the next 48 hours. Store it in a refrigerator.
- 7
SECOND STEP - How to make the Vazhaipoo Paruppu Usili
- 8
Once the Vazhaipoo is cleaned and chopped, soaked in the buttermilk mixture, we are ready to cook the vegetable.
- 9
Drain all the buttermilk water, give it a quick rinse and pressure cook this vegetable (without any water) along with some salt and a pinch of turmeric powder for 2 whistles.
- 10
Once the cooker is cooled and pressure released, lid opened. Heat a pan and add oil followed by urad dal, mustard seeds, whole red chillies.
- 11
Add some curry leaves and then add in the cooked Banana blossoms. Stir well, checkfor salt and add more if required
- 12
You will notice some moisture. Allow it to fully evaporate before you add the lentil crumble else it would turn lumpy.
- 13
Once water evaporates from the pan, add the lentil crumble, mix well and switch off the flame.
- 14
Serve piping hot with Sambar, Rasam or Mor Kuzhambu.