Vazhaipoo Kootu | Banana flower kootu

Banana Flower  is also known as Arati Puvvu in telugu and Vazhaipoo in tamil.  Cleaning the banana flowers is time consuming and requires lots of patience. Allot at least one hour for cleaning the flowers. I have already posted Vazhaipoo poriyal. Planning to post more vazhaipoo recipes in future.  Please check below for step by step instructions and pictures for preparing South Indian Banana flower Mung dal gravy - Vazhaipoo pasi paruppu kootu.




Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Ready in: 30 mins
Yields: 3 servings

Ingredients:

Oil	1 tbsp
Mustard | Kadagu	1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds	1 tsp
Red chillies	2
Curry leaves	3-5
Onions	1/4 Cup
Mung dal | Pasi paruppu	1/4 Cup
Cleaned Banana Flower	1/4 Cup
Coconut milk	2 tbsp
Salt	As needed
Cumin powder	1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder	1/4 tsp
Coriander powder	1 tsp
chilli powder	2 tsp
Coriander leaves chopped	2 stalks

Instructions:

• Heat oil in a cooker. Add mustard and allow it to splutter. Add cumin seeds, red chillies and curry leaves.

• Add onions and fry till they turn translucent. Add mung dal | pasi paruppu and fry for a min.

• Add banana flower | vazhaipoo and fry for 2 mins. Add coconut milk and enough water for moong dal and banana flower to cook.

• Add salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and chilli powder. Pressure cook for 4 whistles.

•  Garnish with coriander leaves.

Tips:
Adjust chilli powder to your taste.
Mung dal can be replaced with toor dal (thuvaram paruppu) and Chana dal ( Kadala paruppu). soak toor dal for 30 mins and chana dal for 1 hour before cooking.