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.
Servings 3 people
Equipment
- Mixer Grinder
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 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
- FIRST STEP - To Make Lentil Crumble or Paruppu Usili
- Wash and Soak the 1/4 cup Chana Dal and 1/4 cup Toor Dal separately for an hour.
- 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.
- Now add both these ingredients in a mixer grinder jar and pulse them once or twice until coarse (do not add any water)
- Collect the coarse dal mixture on a greased steamer plate and steam them for atleast 15 minutes.
- 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.
- SECOND STEP - How to make the Vazhaipoo Paruppu Usili
- Once the Vazhaipoo is cleaned and chopped, soaked in the buttermilk mixture, we are ready to cook the vegetable.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add some curry leaves and then add in the cooked Banana blossoms. Stir well, check
for salt and add more if required - You will notice some moisture. Allow it to fully evaporate before you add the lentil crumble else it would turn lumpy.
- Once water evaporates from the pan, add the lentil crumble, mix well and switch off the flame.
- Serve piping hot with Sambar, Rasam or Mor Kuzhambu.
Notes
- The cooked vegetable stays fresh in the refrigerator for a day. It does tend to get slightly bitter, best to cook it fresh and consume.
- The lentil crumble can be made extra and stored in the refrigerator for couple of days. Can be added to vegetables like french beans, cabbage etc.
- The vegetable is usually consumed in small portions, as it is extremely filling.
- I usually do not add whole red chillies to my paruppu usili mix and prefer adding it separately. I make an extra batch and use it for the next day too.
- The recipe is gluten free and vegan.