Vazhaipoo kuzhambu recipe was in my to-do list for years I should say. It is also known as Saiva meen kulambu in Tamil. As we all know cleaning and chopping vazhaipoo/Banana flower is the most time consuming job that tests our patience. But when we see its health benefits, we won’t feel lazy to do. Just watch some movie or megaaaa serial. This job will become much more easy.
Choosing & buying a proper vazhaipoo is itself an art. Last few times when I bought banana flower, it was too bitter, I couldn’t prepare anything with it and finally I had to throw it out. So I have made a separate post with some tips for
buying & cleaning vazhaipoo with stepwise pictures & health benefits. For this gravy, you don’t need to use the entire flower as we need only the tender white part.
Usually I make vazhaipoo usili or poriyal whenever I buy plantain flower. As we are bored of it, I tried Vazhaipoo vadai & this kuzhambu recipe for the first time. Both were awesome in taste. The best part is Sendhil & Raksha ate very well
. Its a very easy one pot gravy. There is no chopping or grinding process. Only thing is you have to extract one cup of coconut milk. As I had readymade storebought coconut milk powder in hand, my job became very simple and i made this gravy within 15 minutes.
The picture looks like spicy Parota salna with oil floating on top right ?. But it takes very less oil & medium spicy, only the looks make u feel that.I forgot to tell u the source for this recipe.Its from Prema’s cook book .Thank u so much Prema sundar. I learnt a healthy n yummy gravy from you.
This gravy tastes the best when mixed with plain rice topped with ghee ! Moreover this gravy is very healthy and the tender bud & flower parts are very good for stomach ulcers.The combination of coconut milk makes it more healthy.Just try this gravy once for a change from the usual vazhaipoo recipes.U may love it like us.
Vazhaipoo kuzhambu recipe
Banana flower gravy/Vazhaipoo kuzhambu – Banana blossom cooked in coconut milk & spices !
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Lunch
Serves: 3
Prep time: 30 Minutes
Cook time: 15 Minutes
Total time: 45 Minutes
- Vazhaipoo/Banana flower – 1 no
- Big onion – 1 no (very big) OR 2 nos (if small)
- Green chilli -1 no (slit)
- Red chilli powder – 1/2 – 1 tsp (use 1 tsp for spicy gravy)
- Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
- Jeera powder – 1 tsp
- Coconut milk – 3/4 cup ( use 4 tbsp coconut milk powder if using)
- Cumin seeds/Jeera – 1/2 tsp
- Curry leaves – few
- Cooking oil – 1.5 tbsp
- Salt & water – as needed
- Lemon juice – optional
- Rice flour – 1 tsp (use only if the gravy is too watery)
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HOW TO MAKE VAZHAIPOO KUZHAMBU – METHOD
- Wash the whole banana flower.Grease your hands with oil or wear gloves to prevent blackening of hands.Take some curd diluted in a cup of water.Spread a newspaper on the floor or table. Peel the outer layers of banana flower. Remove the flower and keep it immersed till u use. If you are not cooking immediately,no need to clean it. Just keep the flower immersed in buttermilk in the refrigerator and you can clean it whenever you find time. It stays fresh.
- When you keep on peeling the layers, the color of the purple cover will change to a pale white and the flowers will become more tender as you reach the inner part. Collect these tender flowers and keep peeling the layers till whole blossom becomes small enough to hold in your palm.
- Slit the blossom vertically into two. Keep the tender flowers immersed in a bowl of buttermilk till you use. No need to chop them. Mix the coconut milk powder in 3/4 cup of water & make a thick milk OR grate 3/4 cup of coconut and take the extract adding 3/4 cup of warm water. Set aside.
- In a pressure cooker base, heat oil and splutter cumin seeds. Add chopped big onions, curry leaves and slitted green chillies. Saute till onion turns transparent.
- Now add all the powders mentioned above and mix well. Lastly add the coconut milk with 1/2 cup of water. When it comes to roll boil, add the tender flowers immersed in buttermilk.
- Add the required salt and check for spiciness & taste. Pressure cook it in low flame for one whistle. Switch off & after the steam is released,open the cooker. U will see the layer of oil floating on top. Mix well.If the gravy is very watery and very thin, add little rice flour diluted in water, add to the kuzhambu and allow it to boil till it thickens.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and add some lemon juice if its more spicy.
Mix with rice topped with few tsp of ghee.Good to taste & Good for health too !
Enjoy !
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Note
- If you don’t have jeera powder, feel free to skip it. Saute jeera seeds instead along with onions. Jeera is good for digestion of coconut milk.
- I used Aashirvaad chilli powder here. U can use any kashmiri chilli powder to get this awesome color.
- This gravy looks reddish but when u mix well it turns to pale white as u see in the plate picture
- Add ghee while eating. It helps to enhance the taste and also increases the medicinal value of this gravy.
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Serve this healthy banana flower gravy with any poriyal. I served with easy vendakkai poriyal.
making sambar from banana flower is very new to me.. we make chutney n poriyal out of it..
Interesting recipe….
very new recipe. Usually make thoran with this but never tried curry. Nice colour.
simple and tasty recipe.. this is new to me
wow …interesting recipe….looks yummy!
wow thats an very interestin kuzhambu with valaipoo 🙂 looks very very tempting !!
Looks interesting recipe…… Too tempting !!
Very interesting and delicious recipe..
Healthy recipe.. totally new to me.. will try it soon..
Kuzhambu with vazhai poo is new to me.. Sounds healthy and delicious..
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wow… this sounds really delicious… new to me…
I tired this …taste was awesome. the consistency i got was very thin. Is this is how it shd be ?
Yes,it comes out thin.You can reduce the quantity of water n try next time.Thanks for trying 🙂
Why don't we use tomato to this recipe?
I don;t think its needed. If you wish, u can add it. No issues 🙂
I tried this recipe and it turned out fabulous! Everyone at home just loved it. I mixed the banana flower with some beans, rice flour, chilli powder and salt. I then shallow fried it till crisp.This was then added to the gravy. Tasted awesome. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I tried this recipe and it turned out fabulous! Everyone loved it. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I mixed a little bean, rice flour, chilli powder and salt before shallow frying the banana flower. This was then added to the gravy.
Wow, this is a great idea. I will also try this way. Thanks for trying this recipe and giving me positive feedback 🙂
Right from the day I saw this recipe, I have been wanting to try it. Finally I made it yesterday and relished it. A nice alternative to consume vazhaipoo and my daughter also loved it, Thanks for this healthy kuzhambu 🙂
Thank you. Nice to see your feedback 😊
When the day1 I saw this recipe I m preparing this way only. Attractive,yummy and super healthy kulambu