Vazhaipoo Paruppu usili recipe, How to make usili

Vazhaipoo paruppu usili, a traditional tamil brahmin recipe made using banana flowe and lentils, serves a perfect accompaniment for rice. Vazhaipoo or banana flower is cooked in 2 forms in our place. One is this Vazhipoo paruppu usili and other one is Vazhaipoo kootu, Vazhaipoo paruppu usili, though like by everyone at home many times we won’t have a chance to visit the Indian market in little India and the local small Indian shops will only the basic Indian veggies. So when ever i visit the Indian market, i buy the Vazhaipoos and make paruppu usili in the same way as i make Beans Paruppu usili. Recently i was told by my friend, that she makes this vazhaipoo paruppu usili by adding an extra ingredient. So i am sharing the recipe of the popular South Indian Vazhaipoo paruppu usili. Also check out the popular chettinad style Vazhaipoo vadai recipe
Before buying the vazhaipoo, always choose the heavy weighted vazhiapoo , which will have more flowers. Though cleaning is a little elaborate part, when you practise it it will be easy.

INGREDIENTS: SERVES 3-4

TOOR DAL	1/4 CUP
CHANNA DAL	1/2 CUP
RED CHILLI	4-5
VAZHIPOO (CLEANED AND CHOPPED)	2 CUPS
ASAFOETIDA	2 PINCHES
OIL	2 TBLSP
MUSTARD SEEDS	1/4 TSP
CORIANDER SEEDS(DHANIYA)	2 TSP
CURRY LEAVES	FEW
SALT	TO TASTE
BUTTER MILK	2 TBLSP

METHOD:

• First clean the vazhipoo. Take out the bunch of flowers and take out the kallan( the black part. I took this photo from my phone as couldn’t handle the camera in one hand.

• Chop them finely and put it in vessel filled with water and little butter milk. the addition of buttermilk is to avoid the the discoloration of the vazhaipoo. This can be done on the previous day night and kept in the refrigerator.

• Soak the channa dal, toor dal , dhania seeds and red chillies for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, drain the water and coarsely grind this in a mixer.

• Steam this in a greased idli plate or a normal vessel for 12- 15 minutes.
• When done allow this to cool and pulse it in a mixer.

• In a pan add oil and throw in the mustard seeds. Drain water from vazhaipoo and saute this for 5 minutes by adding salt to this.
• The vazhaipoo will get cooked easily.
• Take it out from the pan and keep it aside.
• Add oil in the same pan and add the steamed and pulsed dal.
• Add little salt and turmeric powder. Saute well in a low flame for 5- 8 minutes till it gets nicely roasted.

• Now add the vazhaipoo which we have cooked already.
• Mix well to the dal and let it be in a low flame for 2 minutes. Add curry leaves and switch off the flame.

• Vazhipoo paruppu usli is ready to serve. Generally when i make paruppu usili ,we will have it Morkuzhambhu or Vatha kuzhambhu. But this time for a change, we had with Garlic rasam and Thengai thogaiyal and Pavakkai Chips.

Note:

• If you want the texture of the paruppu usili to be very soft, add more of toor dal and less of channa dal.
• If you prefer a roasted texture then add more of channa dal and less toor dal.
• If steaming the paruppu in a normal vessel , do not forget to cover it properly, else water will come into it and make the Vazhaipoo paruppu usili soggy.