Tag Archives: Banana flower

Vadaham

My mother made a few dishes that she really likes, and which are specialties of Jaffna cuisine, this weekend so I will be sharing the recipes of those this week.

Today’s recipe is that of vadaham, a sun-dried and fried side dish made of some special ingredients. Vadaham is usually made in bulk during sunny days and preserved to be eaten over a long period. There are a few varieties of vadaham, the more popular ones made of neem flowers (vepampoo) or banana flower (valaipoo). The neem tree is considered one of the most medicinal trees and the flowers particularly good for diabetics.

My mother tells me that she learnt how to make vadaham by observing her aunt (my grand-aunt) making them. My grand-aunt was fond of the neem flower vadaham and she had mats placed around the neem tree at my grandmother’s house to collect the tiny flowers that fell off the tree. The flowers were then rinsed and dried before being used to make the vadaham.

The recipe I am sharing below is my grand-aunt’s recipe that my mother occasionally uses when she feels like making vadaham.

Vadaham

Time taken: 30 mins + the soaking time for the urad dhal + sun-drying of the vadaham

Makes 12 – 15

VadahamIngredients:

  • Banana flower – ½ cup, finely chopped
  • Urad dhal/ black gram – ½ cup
  • Crushed chillies – 1 tsp
  • Crushed onion – 1 tbsp
  • Cumin powder – 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
  • Pepper – ½ tsp
  • Salt, to taste
  • Oil, for deep-frying

Method:

  1. Soak the urad dhal for about 3 hours and then drain and grind the dhal.
  2. Mix the finely chopped banana flowers with the ground urad dhal in a mixing bowl.
  3. Add to the mixing bowl the crushed chillies, onion, cumin powder, turmeric as well as pepper and salt to taste.
  4. Mix well and then make small, circular disks of ‘vadaham’.
  5. Sun-dry the ‘vadaham’ for 2 or 3 days and then bottle them in an air-tight jar. If you do not plan to make in bulk and are preparing the side dish for a meal within that day, you can omit the sun-drying part and directly make instant vadaham by moving on to the next step as my mother did this weekend. Some also prefer to simply use the sun-dried version directly without frying them.
  6. When you wish to serve them, simply deep-fry the required number and serve warm with rice and some curd and pickle.

Recipe source: Raji Thillainathan.

Vaalai Poo Curry

Today’s recipe is the banana flower curry/ vaalai poo curry.

Vaalai Poo Curry/ Banana Flower Curry

Time taken: 30 mins

Serves 4

Vaalai Poo CurryIngredients:

  • Vaalai poo/ banana flower – 1 cup, chopped
  • Tomato – 1 large, chopped
  • Capsicum – 1, chopped
  • Onion – ½ cup, chopped
  • Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp
  • Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
  • Oil – 1 tbsp
  • Coconut milk or non-fat milk – ½ cup
  • Curry powder – 1 tsp
  • Salt, to taste

Method:

  1. Clean and chop up the banana flower and add a little salt to it. Keep aside.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and chopped onion for a couple of mins.
  3. Add the chopped vaalai poo and chopped capsisum. Cover and fry for about 10 mins on low heat.
  4. Uncover the pan and add the chopped tomato, coconut milk and curry powder. Add some salt, to taste.
  5. Cook for about 5 mins until the curry has a nice gravy, before removing pan from stove.
  6. Serve with rice.

Recipe source: Raji Thillainathan.

Vaalai Poo Varai

Today’s and tomorrow’s recipes are focused on the flower of the banana tree. In Tamil, the banana flower is called “vaalai poo.” The banana flower is considered to have medicinal value, particularly as it reduces sugar levels and possesses antioxidant properties. Given that the fruit and the tree plays an important role in Tamil cuisine and culture, the flower is also considered a special dish when cooked.

Vaalai Poo Varai/ Banana flower fry

Time taken: 30 mins

Serves 5

Vaalai Poo VaraiIngredients:

  • Vaalai Poo/ Banana flower – 1 cup, chopped
  • Carrot – ½ , chopped
  • Green capsicum or malu miris – 1 or green chillies – 2, chopped
  • Red chilli – 1, chopped
  • Onion – ¼ cup, chopped
  • Curry leaves – 1 sprig
  • Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
  • Low fat oil – 1 tbsp
  • Scraped coconut – 2 tbsp
  • Curry powder – 1 tsp
  • Salt, to taste

Method:

  1. Chop up the vaalai poo. Add some salt and keep aside.
  2. Chop up the carrot, green capsicum, red chilli and onion.
  3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the fennel seeds and onion for a minute.
  4. Add the rest of the chopped ingredients and the curry leaves. Cover the pan and cook, for around 10 mins, on low heat.
  5. Stir in the freshly scraped coconut and curry powder and cook for another 2 mins, mixing the ingredients well, before removing pan from stove.
  6. Serve with rice.

Recipe source: Raji Thillainathan.