Vazhappoo Thoran – Kerala Style

Peel the banana flower stalk (each layer will have many tiny flowers). Remove the outer layers, till you find no more tiny flowers. This last bit inside should be chopped into fine pieces.

Take water in a vessel, add a spoon of curd and immerse the chopped pieces in the mixture. Keep aside for half an hour to remove any sap.

Heat oil in a kadai or a pan.

Add mustard seeds and when they start to splutter, add black gram, dry red chillies (broken into two pieces), curry leaves and stir.

Add the chopped flower pieces, turmeric, salt, chilly powder and cook it with lid closed.

Grind together the grated coconut and garlic in a chopper or mixie (dry without water).

When the flower pieces are almost cooked, add the coconut-garlic mixture to it and cook again with lid closed, till completely cooked.

When done, put off the flame and sprinkle coconut oil over the dish and mix.

Keep aside for a while with lid closed, before serving.

*The banana flower is the flower of the banana tree. If you open the inside of the flower stalk, you can see small flowers that would turn into banana.