Vazhaipoo Vadai (Banana Flower Fritters)

Tweet

My first attempt of making these vazhaipoo vadais was successful!! :) These are my favorite anytime either as a sidedish for lunch or just having it as a tea time snack.

Vazhaipoo Vadai Recipe

Roughly makes 15 to 20 vadais

Ingredients :

• Vazhaipoo/Plantain-Flower - 1 medium sized
• Potukadalai powdered - 4 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1tsp
• Finely chopped Onion - 1 big sized
• Chopped coriander leaves - a handful
• Rice flour - 1 tbsp (optional)
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - for deep frying

For grinding:

• Channa Dhal - 2 to 3 tbsp tbsp
• Garlic - 4 pearls
• Ginger - a small piece
• Sombu(fennel seeds) - 2 tsp

Method:

Clean vazhaipoo and pressure cook for 1 whistle with a cup of water and turmeric powder. Allow it to cool down then grind it to a semi coarse paste in batches, transfer to a mixing bowl. Soak channa dhal for 30mins then grind it with ginger, garlic and fennel seeds to a smooth paste as in the 3rd thumbnail pic below. Sprinkle just few drops of water only if needed.

Now in a bowl add chopped onions, coriander leaves, potukadalai powder, rice flour(if you are using, I didnt use it this time but this adds a nice crispness to the vadais) and both the grinded paste(1.vazhaipoo grinded and 2.channa dal with ginger,garlic and fennel) .Do not add water. Mix well and make small patties / vadai shapes and keep aside.

You can also refrigerate the patties for 10mins to avoid the vadais drinking much oil. Then heat oil in a kadai and deep fry them to golden brown.

You Drain it in a tissue paper and then serve. Crispy and yummy vadas ready, Serve hot with chutney or ketchup.

My Notes:

• You can use the same ingredients and method for senaikelangu/yam vadai(only difference is you dont need to pressure cook it, instead you have to saute it before grinding to a paste) to avoid itching.

• Make sure that the mix is not too dry then your vadais would be hard. Do not add more potukadalai and rice flour than the above mentioned quantity.