Recipe for a very healthy chutney made with vazhaithandu – banana stem. Recipe with step by step pictures. வாழைத்தண்டு சட்னி
Banana stem is loaded with fibre and is even used to treat kidney stones and urinary tract infection. Including banana stem regularly in one’s diet helps with acidity and gastric problems. It also provides relief from a lot of common problems including constipation. Here is an excellent recipe made with Vazhaithandu Chutney – Banana Stem. This is a very easy to do chutney.
This is a chutney in disguise. This chutney is made with vazhaithandu வாழைத்தண்டு / banana stem. This recipe has very few ingredients and the only prep work required is with the banana stem. This is yet another delicious easy to do chutneys for the busy mornings. Here is how to do Vazhaithandu Chutney – Banana Stem Chutney Recipe.
Prepping Banana Stem
The outer layer is very fibrous and not edible. Remove the layer. Just peel off the layer with a knife and it should easily come off.
I usually remove the final layer too. I peel off the layer by pulling it with a knife. In some households, they retain this part. Its totally up to you. The threads in the final layer is a little fibrous and we do not like it at home. My mom will be furious if she knows that I remove this. She would say, that’s where all the fibre is. But hey, this is now my kitchen and I get to do what I like. Traditionally, the banana stem is cut into discs and the excess fibre is removed by running the finger on the disc in a circular motion. So its up to you.
Its almost done.
Chop the banana stem into discs and then rough chop the discs. Add the chopped stem to a bowl filled with water. You can see the fibre when you cut it into discs. Its perfectly fine. Just add everything to a bowl filled with water. I add a little vinegar / buttermilk to the water to avoid the banana stem from getting discoloured. Today I added a teaspoon of vinegar to the water.
Making the chutney
Heat sesame oil (Indian gingely oil) in a pan and add in the curry leaves, toor dal and dried red chillies. Saute on a low flame till the dal is slightly roasted and brown in colour. Roast the ingredients on a low flame so the lentils don’t burn. Adjust the chillies according to your taste. If you want a spicy chutney, add in a couple of more chillies.
Add in the fresh shredded coconut and the cut banana stem. Just saute for a minute. Add in the salt and tamarind. The banana stem will still be raw and that is fine. Remove from heat and transfer the ingredients to a mixie.
Add half cup of water to the pan and wash (deglaze), add it back to the mixie.
Now grind the ingredients in the mixie to a paste.
Tempering
Heat oil in a pan and add in the urad dal, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, red chillies and a pinch of asafoetida. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Saute till the dal is roasted and brown. Add it to the chutney. Keep the chillies whole. The roasted green chillies add a nice aroma to the chutney. Also if you want a very spicy chutney, you can bite a little bit of the nicely roasted green chilli.
Serve the chutney with idli and dosai.
- 1 cup chopped vazhaithandu / banana stem
- 1 teaspoon Indian sesame oil (gingely oil)
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 tablespoon toor dal
- 3-4 dried chillies
- ½ cup fresh shredded coconut
- ½ teaspoon rock salt
- a small marble size tamarind
- 1 teaspoon Indian sesame oil (gingely oil)
- ½ teaspoon urad dal
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2-3 green chillies
- 2 dried red chillies
- a pinch of asafoetida
- Clean, prep and chop the banana stem and add it to water. I add a little vinegar / buttermilk to the water to avoid the banana stem from getting discoloured.
- Heat sesame oil (Indian gingely oil) in a pan and add in the curry leaves, toor dal and dried red chillies. Saute on a low flame till the dal is slightly roasted and brown in colour.
- Add in the fresh shredded coconut and the cut banana stem. Just saute for a minute. Add in the salt and tamarind. Remove from heat and transfer the ingredients to a mixie.
- Add half cup of water to the pan and wash (deglaze), add it back to the mixie.
- Grind everything to a fine paste.
- Heat oil in a pan and add in the urad dal, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, red chillies and a pinch of asafoetida. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add it to the chutney.
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