Vazhaipoo Vadai, Banana Blossom Fritters

Vazhaipoo Vadai – Banana Blossom Fritters. A very unique and tasty vadai’s prepared with ground banana blossoms. It is one of the tastiest vadais you will make. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Vazhaipoo vadai / Banana Blossom Vadai is unlike any other common South Indian fritters. The uniqueness of this recipe is that the banana blossoms are ground and added to the batter. Removing the Pistils and the Calyx from the banana blossoms will cut the bitterness from it. This is one of the tastiest vadais. Its very crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. These need to be had hot. Otherwise they lose their crispness when cold. Prepare more than you think you will need as everyone almost always come for second servings. It is perfect for an evening snack.

The banana blossoms needs to be cleaned well before it can be cooked with.
Here is how to do it.
Cleaning the banana blossom may stain your fingers. The black sap that comes from the florets may leave stained fingers and clothes. Apply oil to your hands before cleaning.
If you remove the reddish leaves, there will be yellow tipped florets that we will be cooking with. These are soon to be bananas. The florets needs to be cleaned though. Remove each floret and pull the stick like pistil with a bulgy top to the right. This is very bitter and inedible, When you pull the pistil to your right, the calyx (the small, thick, light pink color petal like thing) will come out. Remove that too.

Remove the pistil and calyx and discard. They are inedible. We will be cooking with the florets.

Here is a picture of the cleaned florets.

After removing 5-6 layers of the maroon leaves, the florets inside will be very young. They need not be cleaned. They can be used as such. The inner hearts are also edible. They can be cut and used.

Storing:
Take a bowl and add water to it. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the bowl. Soak the cleaned florets in it. Many people in India use buttermilk. But I have found that vinegar+water solution keeps the florets from becoming bitter and more effective. The florets needs to be immediately soaked in the water+vinegar mixture to avoid discoloring and also to avoid it becoming bitter. You can keep this in the fridge and use it the next day. Drain the water completely before using.

Now lets make the vazhaipoo vadai!

Soak the chana dal in water for 2 hours. Do not soak longer than that or the vadai will consume a lot of oil while frying.

Take a mixie and add in the cumin, fennel seeds, dried red chillies, ginger and garlic. Add a couple of tablespoon of the soaked chana dal and grind to a coarse paste. DO NOT use any water to grind.

Once the masala is coarsely ground, add drained chana dal on top of the ground masala and grind again. Please do not add water while grinding. Its very important. Pulse several times if necessary. Open the mixie inbetween and clean the sides with a spatula so the batter will be evenly ground.

Now add the banana blossom to the mixie and grind again. If you do not have a heavy duty mixie, chop the banana blossoms before adding.

Remove the ground batter to a bowl and add in the chopped onions, coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chillies, a pinch of asafoetida and the salt. Mix well to combine.

Mix well and check for seasoning. Add extra salt if necessary. Form the vadai. Take a small lime size batter in hand and make a ball. Make small balls. Remember that smaller balls makes for crispier vadai’s. Gently flatten it on the hands. Gather the edges to smoothen. The more you flatten, the more crispier the vadais.

Gently lower the vadais in hot oil and cook the vadai on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

After the first batch, check for seasoning. We get to eat first 🙂

The vadais need to be had hot. They will lose the crispiness when cold. The batter can be stored in the fridge for upto a day. Make vadais hot and serve immediately.

Vazhaipoo Vadai, Banana Blossom Fritters

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Vazhaipoo Vadai – Banana Blossom Fritters. A very unique and tasty vadai’s prepared with ground banana blossoms. It is one of the tastiest vadais you will make. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

• Total Time: 2 hours 15 mins
• Yield: 15 vadais 1x

Ingredients

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• 1 cup Banana Blossom, cleaned
• 1/2 cup chana dal
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 sprigs curry leaves, chopped
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• a pinch of asafoetida
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Vegetable oil to deep fry

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Instructions

1. Soak the chana dal in water for 2 hours.
2. Take a mixie and add in the cumin, fennel seeds, dried red chillies, ginger and garlic. Add a couple of tablespoon of the soaked chana dal and grind to a coarse paste.
3. Once the masala is coarsely ground, add drained chana dal on top of it and grind again. Please do not add water while grinding. Its very important. Pulse several times if necessary.
4. Now add the banana blossom to the mixie and grind again. If you do not have a heavy duty mixie, chop the banana blossoms before adding.
5. Remove the ground batter to a bowl and add in the chopped onions, coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chillies, a pinch of asafoetida and the salt. Mix well to combine.
6. Mix well and check for seasoning. Add extra salt if necessary. Form the vadai. Take a small lime size batter in hand and make a ball. Make small balls. Remember that smaller balls makes for crispier vadai’s. Gently flatten it on the hands. Gather the edges to smoothen. The more you flatten, the more crispier the vadais.
7. Gently lower the vadais in hot oil and cook the vadai on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
8. Serve immediately.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Appetizer
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Serve hot to your family.