Back when I was in India before my marriage I rarely cooked because my grandmother and mother took care of it. I knew few basics like kootu, rasam and some poriyal (dry curry), so that was enough to help them out occasionally but certain things I did not know. One such thing is the procedure for cooking banana flower (vaazhai poo). Although my grandmother used to make usili and poriyal out of it I never bothered to learn how to prep the flower for cooking. After coming to US I did not see it in the local markets so I literally forgot that such a thing existed.
Last summer we went to New Jersey to see Dasavatharam. Yes, we drove 2 hours to watch that movie because my DH is a movie-enthusiast (that's my "good" me trying to sound poise but actually biting my teeth!). That experience by itself should qualify for another post of ranting. Anyway the only good thing from that trip (at least for me) was the visit to the Indian grocery stores there. I felt like I was in India and was so excited to see all the vegetables and greens, the variety of of flours, grains and nuts and more all laid out neatly. You should have seen the look in my face! For those of you who have come to NJ directly from India, you cannot relate to me, because in the place where I used to live (suburbs of Philly) we didn't have that many desi stuff and choices. I was so excited that I was asking my husband to look for a job in NJ and I started looking for apartments too. Really, I'm not kidding. So we (read it as I) literally filled up the car trunk with groceries and veggies including the exotic banana flower.
I didn't know how I was going to cook it but bought it anyway. Most of my purchases are like that only since I started this food blog! With the help of technology I learned how to prep it. No, no, no I did not Google it. I video chat with my mother everyday, so I had the banana flower in front of me and she was giving me the instructions. So finally it was done. My goodness it's a lot of work and takes so much time. (The how to's in another post.) She also had asked me to soak the chopped flower in buttermilk with little turmeric powder mixed to it, so that it would remove some of the bitterness. Yes, it's slightly bitter (thuvarpu in Tamil). Did everything as she said (a teaspoon of sugar can also be added while cooking) and prepared usili the next day as usual and it tasted so good, worth the trouble taken to prep it.
Fast forward one year, I'm in Canada now and happened to see banana flower in the store here. Brought it home with the same excitement, sat down patiently to prep the flower, chopped it and made the poriyal (dry curry) which my grandmother used to make, tasted a spoonful and yuck! It was so bitter and I was wondering what I did wrong. After talking with my mother I realized that I did not soak it in buttermilk this time. I tried every possible trick to make it right, but the bitterness was like a tough grease on a pan, it would not go. Even the thought of throwing it away was making me feel very guilty. It's not that I have not thrown away anything but to throw something as healthy as this and also after spending so much time on preparing it, it did not feel right. So I was just moping around until I saw the lentils I had soaked to prepare usili for the following day's lunch. Aaha! the light bulb went on!
I'm sure you would have guessed it by now. Vaazhaipoo vadai (banana flower patties) is the solution. Though I have heard about these vadais we have not prepared it in our home and I have not tasted it elsewhere too. Proceeded anyway because I know that anything deep fried in oil will definitely taste good!
So took about 1 cup of the soaked lentils (approximately ¾ cup of chana daal, ¼ cup toor daal and masoor dal or red lentils together ), drained the water and processed it in a food processor with 1 red chili and mixed the banana flower curry and finely chopped onions with the lentil batter. I even fried one batch of vadais and that's when another idea came. Why not bake it instead? I have seen a couple of recipes for baked falafel, so decided to give that a try and it worked too! Yay!
Preheat the oven at 375F for 15 minutes. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat it with cooking spray. Take a ping pong ball size of dough, roll it between your palms and place it on the baking sheet. You can either flatten it or leave it as it is. Repeat the same for the entire dough and spray the tops with non stick cooking oil spray and bake it in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until its golden brown. Check once in between and you may flip the patties. The only thing to be noted is that while grinding the lentils, be sure that the water is drained completely and sprinkle water little by little if necessary. If you add too much water, you will not be able to handle the dough and you would have to add rice flour or corn starch to bind it.
Surprisingly the oven baked vadais were crisp too. Crisp on the outside and soft inside. I had my doubts whether the lentils would be cooked inside because unlike falafel where cooked (canned) chickpeas is used, the lentils in this recipe was not cooked prior to the baking. So if you have that doubt too, don't anymore because it gets cooked. The vadai was not bitter also. It tasted very good the next day too. Of course not crispy as the the first day but definitely tasty.
Preeti says
Hi,
I want to congratulate you not only on the vazhaipoo recipes, but the beetroot leaves ones I saw just now(I chopped and fried them along with rava for upma) and my favourites- the carrot cakes( I have made these so many times adding and subtracting ingredients ) , the chocolate cakes, but what is truly unique about your recipes is the earnestness that you somehow manage to convey through your words.
Thank you.
Best wishes
Preeti
Madhuram says
You're welcome Preeti and thank you very much for your compliments.
Brook Kudrick says
Hi i read your blog often and wanted to say all the best for the New Year!
R Varalakshmi says
Hi Madhu
More than the vadas ur write up on the efforts u hv taken to cook vazhaipoo is great. Kudos to u & to ur mother. Due to elaborate process , I never used to cook this thou I like the taste. The outer portion--boat shaped one- u can use it for displaying thair sadam or kalantha sadam or salad. It looks great
Thanks Chithi. The idea of serving rice/salad is great.
Lou says
What an amazing ingredient. In the Philippines we love cooking chopped young banana hearts - they're slightly bitter, slightly chewy, and cooked in coconut cream or milk with a little minced pork they're perfect for a light lunch!
Thanks Lou. Cooking it in coconut milk sounds like a great idea.
Sumi says
I have always made them by deep frying.Next time when I get hold of them I will definitly try baking it.But we dont get it here..so have to wait till I go home.
Sweatha says
Very Crispy and perfect.I can understand you regarding NJ.I was at SouthPlainfield near Edison and I had a Bhavani store at walking distance.I actually was surprised about the items there some of which I had never seen in Blore ! The vadais look perfect again .I make a shallow fried version of this but using potatoes.
I have posted one lowfat dish now and will be posting another later Will mail you b4 the deadline.
nithya says
Chopping these Banana flower is a real headache.I was excited when i saw this in
the chinese market here....was thrilled to make some usli.Tried
making the vadais..infact baked them like yours.They come out very well.I used only toor dal...havent tried mixing dals.Will try some.Looks wonderful Madhuram!
Usha says
The vazhai poo vadais look really fantastic ! I haven't had vazhai poo in ages,normally my mother in law makes them when I visit, but I rarely have the patience to prep it myself !
malavika says
Hey,
I grew up eating usili and Vaazhaipoo vadai and I still make them. But I steam them in my steamer before baking them. The same way u do it for usili . I am so lazy to make it with vaazhaipoo..so I make mine with beans,,try it..
Malavika, steaming and then baking sounds like a good idea too.
Mathu says
The apt word to say is "An IDEA can change your life!!!!". Very thoughtful of you to do this.Thanks for the recipe.I follow your blog regularly and looking forward lots of great healthy stuff from you 😉
Mathu, thank you very much.
Nags says
banana flower is quite tough to prep before cooking so i refrain from buying it. i absolutely love it though!!
Vazha thandu too the same, but I'm ready to cook it if I get it. It's nearly 6 years since I tasted it.
Kalai says
The pic is amazing! Vazhaipoo is definitely a big job, but it tastes so good at the end! Nice one, Madhu!
nithya at hungrydesi says
These look so good! Another healthy recipe I'm going to make - thanks. Could really go for some hot vadais right now 🙂
dk says
almost anything and everything can be baked! I always (ab)use my oven to the hilt! I dont get good looking vazhapoo here 🙁 When I take a peek inside they look horribly yellow like a person's teeth who forgot to brush his teeth for 20 days! That kind of dirty yellow! I dont even know if it supposed to look like that! The ones I remeber back home used to look all fresh and beige/creamy color with yellow tips! They look yummy madhu which reminds me, I am yet to send my bread to you...will do it next...
hugs.
That's right Dhivi. I also keep the finger chips we get in the Indian store in the oven while its preheating and its ready in 5 minutes. I tried it with vadams and appalams too, but the taste varies depending on the type of vadam. Sure send it by friday.
Uma says
I have a packet of frozen banana flower in the freezer!! I am making these for sure!! Thanks for the yummy recipe Madhu!! They look gorgeous and tempting 🙂
Uma, I didn't know that it's available frozen.
Cilantro says
I have been making Vazhaipoo vadai`s for a long time now but not frequently for it involves deep frying. Soaking them in buttermilk is a must. Some flowers do not need this though. Baking them is healthy always. Will try them soon.
I remember vazhaipoo vadai being mentioned in Kandukonden kandukonden movie.
Priya says
Wat an excellent way to bake banana flower vada Madhu, looks fabulous!
Thanks Priya.
Parita says
Gorgeous click, havent used banana flower in cooking yet, got to try this soon!
Do you get it in Swiss?
Ranjani says
Hi Madhuram,
This reminds me of a bajji my friend makes in the oven. On any given day, baked vadais and bajjis are better than the deep fried ones. I might just try this recipe.
I too have to try baking bajjis, it's my husband's long time request.
Muskaan Shah says
Wowww...Vada's look so yummy, crispy, never tried any baking yet with vadas....As ever very nice Picture...
It's similar to the burgers you baked Muskaan.
jayasree says
Vadais look crispy and doesn't give the feel that its baked. Though i cook vazhaipoo regularly,never attempted to make vadai. Glad the light flashed for you and we got a baked version of the recipe.
Yes Jayasree, we couldn't tell apart between the fried ones and the baked ones.