The banana tree is one of those few species where eachpart is used in some way or the other, be it the leaves which are used foreating food, the fruit which is eaten in the raw or ripe form, or the flower orstem which is also consumed.
The stem is cooked in various ways in South Indiancuisine Dishes such as vazhaithandu usli (dry cooked banana stem with lentils),vazhaithandu kootu (banana stem cooked with lentils), vazahaithandu poriyal(banana stem tempered and garnished with coconut) are popular in Tamil Nadu.
Health Benefits of Banana stems are:
- Helps detoxify the body
- Rich source of fiber and helps in weight loss.
- Vitamin B6 helps in production of hemoglobin and insulin.
- The Banana Stem juice also relieves ulcers, burningsensation and acidity.
Yesterday my SILNalini gave me a tender banana stem to me . Next day itself I made this vazhathandu pachadi and vazhathandu Thuvaran.Here the challenge is to prepare the vegetable for cooking! Cutting thebanana stem is a real task! And reallytime consuming. I prefer to keep it prepared previously.
Ingredients:
Banana Stem - 6 inch
Green Chilies 2 no.
Grated Ginger 1 Tbsp.
Thick Plain Curd 1 cup.
Salt to taste.
Coriander leaves few
For Tadka
Oil ½ Tsp.
Mustard seeds ½ Tsp.
Hing powder a pinch
Red chilies 1 no.
Ingredients:
- Wash and discard the outer cover of banana stem and takethe inner part only.
- Cut the stem into thin rounds and remove the excessthread. Then chop the round stems into small pieces and put it in buttermilkwater.
- Drain the water. Steam the chopped banana stem pieces in microwave for 3minutes.
- Finely chop the green chilies. Put the cooked banana stem in a bowl and add salt, green chillies and gratedginger. Mix it well.
- Beat the curd welland add it to the banana stem and mix it well.
- Heat the oil in kadai and add all seasonings and fry itfor a minute and add to the banana stem pachadi. Let it soak for 30 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
- Serve it cool with steam rice. Enjoy!
