Vazhaithandu Poriyal – Banana stem poriyal recipe

This is my MIL’s style Vazhaithandu poriyal recipe (Banana stem curry) which is a super healthy and excellent side dish for sambar rice. We try to include Banana stem in our diet at least once in a week as it is a rich source of fiber, Potassium and Vitamin B6. It helps to ease constipation and is good for treating and preventing Kidney stones.

Mostly I make banana stem juice with buttermilk and salt. Sometimes I make poriyal, kuzhambu, thayir pachadi or add in sambar. Recent days I started to make Vazhaithandu dosa as well. Soon I will try to post a collection of all the Vazhaithandu recipes in my blog for easy reference.

Today’s recipe is a very easy and simple Tamil nadu style poriyal recipe with Vazhaithandu. My MIL makes it without onion and garlic but I used garlic today. Also she uses red chilli for spicy taste whereas I used sambar powder for variation. It came out so well. We all loved it. Even Raksha who eats only dosa with Vazhaithandu ate this poriyal today without complaints.

Friends, do try this yummy and healthy raw banana stem poriyal for rice and enjoy with your family. But make sure you use tender and fresh banana stem for best taste.

Vazhaithandu poriyal / Banana stem curry for rice

Vazhaithandu poriyal / Banana stem curry for rice - Easy and healthy side dish using Banana stem.

 

Cuisine: Tamil nadu

Category: Side dish

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

 

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

Vazhaithandu / Banana stem - 1 Moong dal - 1 tbsp Sambar powder or red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Salt - as needed Water - to cook Grated coconut – 1/4 cup To temper Coconut oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Urad dal - 1 tsp Chana dal - 2 tsp Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp Curry leaves - few Garlic - 5 cloves Coriander leaves - to garnish

HOW TO MAKE BANANA STEM PORIYAL

1. Remove the outer sheath of Banana stem.
2. Wash and chop into circles and dip in thin buttermilk.
3. Chop finely and keep it immersed in buttermilk till use.
4. Take the chopped banana stem in a plate and add salt, moong dal.
5. Mix well and keep the plate in a slanting way for 15 minutes. Water drains out. Discard the water. 
6. Heat oil in a kadai. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, cumin seeds and curry leaves. 
7. Add garlic cloves and saute for a minute. Squeeze the banana stem and add to kadai.
8. Add turmeric powder and mix well. Sprinkle some water and cover the kadai. Keep the flame low and cook till moong dal and banana stem turns soft.
9. Lastly add the sambar powder and grated coconut. Mix well and cook for few more minutes.
10. Switch off the stove and garnish with coriander leaves if you like.
11. Serve with sambar and rasam rice. Enjoy !

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Remove the outer sheath of the banana stem and chop into thin roundels. Keep in buttermilk till use. Now take the roundels and chop finely into small cubes. Keep them immersed in buttermilk. Take the chopped banana stem in a plate. Add salt, moong dal and mix well. Keep the plate in a slanting way so that banana stem leaves water which collects in the plate. Discard the water. Heat oil in a kadai and when it gets heated, splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Add chopped garlic and saute for few minutes. Squeeze the banana stem and add to the kadai. Keep the flame low and saute for few minutes. Add turmeric powder and mix well. Sprinkle some water and cover cook till dal and banana stem turns soft and cooked well. Lastly add the grated coconut, sambar powder or red chilli powder. Mix well and cook for few minutes in low flame till raw smell goes off. Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves (optional). Enjoy !

Note

You can saute red chilli along with garlic and skip chilli powder / sambar powder for less spice. For variations, you can skip garlic and make it without onion and garlic. If you like, you can add one finely chopped onion along with garlic and make this poriyal. Healthy and tasty Vazhaithandu poriyal is ready !

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