VazhaChundu(Banana Flower) Cutlet

Banana trees plays a vital role in Kerala Cuisine,every single part of the tree is useful in one way or other.As everyone knows,leaves of banana tree is used for serving meals and also to prepare some traditional dishes like Ada,Meen Pollichathu etc,its stem (called ‘Vazha Pindi’ at our place) ,flower and fruit are used in many other deliccacies.

Vazha Chundu/Banana Blossom

The banana flower,or Banana blossom(We call it ‘Vazha Chundu’,it is also called ‘kodappan’ or’Vazha Poo’ in other parts of Kerala.Are there any more slangs for this?) is grown on the end of the stem which holds the banana clusters.It has a deep purple color and many layers of tightly packed leaves.You have to discard the outer leaves(may be 3 or 4),until the inner pale colored leaves can be seen.Outer dark colored leaves can be very bitter,and cannot be used for cooking.But its a nice idea to use it as a decorative serving bowl,pickles or salads can be served in it.The banana flower is a good source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A and it contains fair amounts of calcium and iron too.

Eventhough the vegetable is blessed with many nutrients,the flavor is a little starchy and bitter,but when cooked thoroughly and with the right ingredients,it can be turned into many tasty dishes.This cutlet is one such dish,very easy to make and very healthy too.

Vazha Chundu Cutlet served with Onion Salad

Ok,now here comes the recipe..

Ingredients:-

Grated Banana flower – 1 medium sized
Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp
Chopped Onions – 1/2 cup
Green chillies sliced – 7-8
Chopped Ginger – 1 tsp
Chopped Coriander leaves – 2 tsp
Boiled Potato – 2
Boiled Carrot – 1
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Egg – 2
Bread Crumbs – 1 cup
Salt – to taste
Oil – to deep fry + 2 tsp

Method:-

Cook grated banana flower until soft, adding little water,turmeric powder and salt.

Cooking grated banana flower

Seperate egg whites and yolks.Peel off the skin of potato and mash it well with hands and keep it aside.Similarly peel off the carrot skin ,mash it and reserve.Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds into it.Allow it to splutter and add urad dal into it.Fry it for a while.Now add onions,green chillies and ginger one by one and saute until onions turn translucent.Stir in mashed potato and cooked banana flower into it.Now add mashed carrot and salt and mix it all together.You can also add the seperated egg yolk into the cutlet mixture if you wish.Simmer until the mixture is thick and dry.Add chopped coriander leaves,simmer for 2 more minutes,stirring continuosly and remove from heat.

When the mixture is cooled,make it into equal sized balls.Flat each ball into any desired shape , dip it in egg white and coat with bread crumbs.Deep fry or shallow fry the cutlets and serve with ketchup or onion salad.

Instead of egg,you can also use maida flour mix with some water to make it a smooth paste.

Deep fried Cutlets

See my another version of broiled cutlet for healthy eating.Here I haven’t used bread crumbs or eggs,I just made lemon sized balls with the prepared mixture and flattened it with my hand.Then I’ve arranged them neatly in a pan,applied a little oil on them using cooking spray.I broiled them for 5 minutes and then I turned them upside down,sprayed oil again and broiled them for 5 more minutes or until well browned.

Broiled Cutlets

Another one with the same cutlet mixture.No bread crumbs or eggs here too,take a lemon size ball,flatten it with your hand and elongate it.Shallow fry it in a pan.Arrange it on a burger bun ,with lettuce,lightly sauteed onion,lightly sauteed green capsicum,tomato slices and grated cheese.You can create your own burgers,with your choice of veggies and dressings along with this healthy Banana flower cutlet.

Vazha Chundu Burger

Fish Pickle

This is another treasured recipe from my Amma,very simple to make ,yet so delicious..I’ve prepared this fish pickle last week with 3 pounds of king fish,and its almost over by now.Actually I was hoping that it’ll stay for atleast 3 months.Ok,no complaints..I only gulped almost half of it,eventhough I blamed Deepu for finishing it off real soon.

Fish Pickle

The recipe follows ..

Ingredients:-

King Fish diced – 2 lb
Thinly sliced Ginger – 1/2 cup
Thinly sliced Garlic – 1/2 cup
Green Chillies Slit – 10
Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder mixed with a little vinegar(to make it a smooth paste) – 1/4 cup
Vinegar – 1 cup
Curry leaves -1 sprig
Mustard Seeds – 2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – as needed

For Marinating Fish Pieces

Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Red Chilly powder -1 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp

Method:-

Mix together turmeric powder,red chilly powder and salt ,adding little water and marinate fish pieces using this mixture. Keep it in a refrigerator for half an hour.Then deep fry the fish pieces,until brown and crisp.

Heat oil in another pan,pop mustard seeds,add curry leaves and fry for a while.Now add ginger,garlic and green chillies into it.Saute it for 3-4 mts in medium heat.(I used store brought ginger-garlic paste instead of sliced ginger & garlic.Be careful while using this ready made paste,it can splash all over and can cause burns.So its better to cover the pan immediately after adding it,but take care not to burn the ingredients).

Sauteing Ginger-Garlic paste

Mix in Red chilly paste and saute for few minutes.

Sauteing Red Chilly paste

Now add vinegar and salt and allow it to boil.When boiled,add the fish pieces into it and simmer for another 5-6 mts.You can add hot water or vinegar(check for sourness before adding it) if needed,and let it come to a boil once again.Switch off the stove,allow it to cool and store in an air tight container.

For better shelf life(in room temperature),fish pieces have to be completely dipped in the gravy,and oil has to be seen on top. Otherwise you can keep the pickle in a refrigerator and always use dry spoon in the pickle,water particles can spoil the pickle.

You can use any hard fish  for this like tuna or tilapia.I’ve even prepared this pickle using anchovies.The same method can be used to prepare meat pickle also.

Malabar Chicken Biriyani

Long back I’ve also had Malabar Chicken Biriyani from the famous Sagar Hotel in Kozhikkode,and I still remember how special and different it tasted.Thanks to Shynee,with her recipe ,now I could recreate that special Malabar taste in my kitchen too.Deepu also loved it and according to him,this was the best biriyani i’ve ever made.

Malabar Chicken Biriyani

And here goes Shynee’s recipe for Malabar Chicken Biriyani…

Ingredients :-

Basmati Rice – 1 kg
Chicken cut into big pieces – 1 kg
Thinly Sliced Onion- 500 gm
Sliced Tomato – 250 gm
Ghee – as needed
Broken cashew nuts – 1/4 cup
Raisins – 1/4 cup
Curd – 1 cup
Lime – 1 big
Chopped Coriander leaves – 1 bunch
Chopped Mint leaves – 1 small bunch
Curry leaves-2 sprigs
Biriyani Masala Powder – 3 tsp

Rose water – 2 tbsp(optional)
Saffron – 1 gm(optional)
Boiled eggs – 2
Salt – as reqd

For Marinating Chicken

Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Chilly Powder – 1 tsp
Salt – as needed

For Grinding

Green Chillies – 100 gm
Garlic – 50 gm
Ginger – 50 gm
Poppy seeds soaked in water for 5- 10 mts – 2 tsp

Grind them together to a coarse paste.Keep them aside

Method:-

Mix together the ingredients for marinating chicken.Apply the mixture thoroughly on chicken pieces and allow it to stand for half an hour preferrably in refrigerator.

Wash and drain the rice well.Heat little ghee in a pan,and roast the rice for 4-5 mts.Add necessary water(Usually the measurement is like,for 1 cup rice – 2 cups water) and salt into it,cook rice till soft and all the water is absorbed.Spread the rice in a flat serving dish,and sprinkle 3-4 drops of lime juice, allow it to cool.

Heat a little ghee in a pan and roast cashews and raisins till brown and keep it aside.Now add half of sliced onion and fry them until thay are well browned.Add more ghee /oil if needed.Drain them into a tissue paper and reserve .Now into the same oil,add marinated chicken pieces and shallow fry them for a while.Shynee says this can enhance the taste and also make the chicken pieces more firm.

Now heat another vessel and heat ghee/oil(preferrably ghee for more taste,or you can combine ghee and oil together) ,add rest of the onions and saute them till translucent.Mix in tomatoes,salt and the ground paste and saute them for 2-3 mts.Stir in curd and lemon juice and saute until oil seperates.Now add fried chicken pieces,mix well,cover and cook.

When it is half done,add Coriander leaves,Mint leaves,curry leaves and 2 tsp Biriyani masala powder.Mix and allow the chicken to cook well in medium heat,until all water is absorbed and chicken pieces are coated with gravy.Switch off the stove.

Take a big vessel,spread chicken pieces along with the gravy in the bottom.Now add one layer of cooked rice over chicken.Sprinkle a little biriyani masala powder,fried onions,cashews, raisins and saffron(mixed in rosewater).Repeat the same for 2 more layers with chicken ,rice and fried cashew-raisins-onions etc.Seal the vessel with aluminium foil and bake it for 15 mts(150 degree celsius).Mix thoroughly and serve hot with whole boiled eggs (in the middle),Onion Raita ,Pickle and Pappad.

Biriyani served with Raita,Papad and Pickle

Refer Shynee’s blog to see how this is served in Malabar Style.

Thanks again Shynee,for this very special Malabar Biriyani recipe.I can’t wait to prepare it again.

Kaalan

Yet another exotic dish,which is a must for traditional Sadya.

Kaalan

And now straight into the recipe..

Ingredients:-

Ingredients needed

Semi Ripe Plantain diced -1
Elephant Yam/Suran (chena) diced – 1 cup
Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Ghee – 1/2 tsp(Optional)
Lightly beaten curd(preferrably sour)-2 cups
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil- as needed

For Grinding:-
Jeera seeds – 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Green chillies – 5
Grind the above together to a very smooth paste.

For popping:-
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves -a sprig
Red Chillies Split- 3
Fenugreek powder – a pinch

Method:-

Mix turmeric powder and salt into the beaten curd and keep aside.Cook plantains and yam with pepper powder,salt and little water until they are soft and done.Add in ghee and saute plantains and yam for a while.

Sauteing plantain-yam in ghee

Reduce the heat to minimum,mix in the ground mixture and allow it to boil slowly.

Ground mixture added to cooked plantains

Now add the beaten curd mixture and continue to cook in low heat until it attains the desired thick consistency.

Beaten curd added to the plantain

Be sure to stir in between to prevent it from curdling.Switch off the heat and allow it to cool.
Pop the mustard seeds in oil.Add red chillies and curry leaves and saute it for a while.Add fenugreek powder and switch off the heat immediately.Pour the seasoning into the curd mixture.Let it cool,the curry will taste better the next day.This goes very well with rice.

Beetroot Pachadi

A typical sadya comprises of both sweet and sour yogurt based pachadis.In my home,either beetroot pachadi or pineapple pachadi is prepared to match the sweet pachadi item.I’ve already blogged about Pineapple pachadi and here goes my version of Beetroot Pachadi…

Beetroot Pachadi

Ingredients:-

Ingredients for Beetroot Pachadi

Beetroot grated -1 small sized
Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Pounded mustard seeds -1/4 tsp
Sugar – 1/4 tsp(Optional) or Chopped Raisins – 5
Yogurt – 1 cup
Salt – to taste
Oil- as needed

For Grinding:-
Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
Jeera seeds – 1/4 tsp
Small onions/Shallots – 4
Grind all these together into a smooth paste.

For popping:-
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Red chillies – 3
Sliced Shallots – 1
Curry leaves – a few

Method:-

Cook beetroot with red chilly powder,turmeric powder,pounded mustard seeds,raisins(if using),salt and a (very) little water ,until it is soft and dry.Mix in the ground mixture and simmer for few minutes.Switch off the heat and add lightly mashed curd,salt and sugar(Use either raisins or sugar).
Heat oil in another pan and pop the mustard seeds.Add in red chillies,curry leaves and shallots and fry them until brown.Add this seasoning to the pachadi.This can be served with any type of rice.

This is my entry to Vineela’s JFI#5-Milk and Milk Products