Vazhaippo Kootu:

In olden days our grandparents use to instruct us to eat Vazhaipoo/Banana Blossom for its health benefits and Raktha Shuddi (meaning cleansing of blood) property. They knew how to use food as medicine , vegetable or herbal therapy for the prevention of various ailments Vazhaippoo is good in antibacterial and antioxidants too. Vazhaipoo dishes were prepared often to keep our blood stream ‘clean’.

• Being high in iron content, used to treat anaemia.
• Controls the excessive pain during menstrual cycle.
• Good medicine for stomach ulcer and dysentery.
• Rich in vitamin A, C and dietary fibre.
• Good for pregnant women.

Delicious Vazhaippoo Koottu:

Here is a recipe using Vazhaipoo for your health ,

Ingredients:

Vazhaippoo-Chopped 11/2 cup (cleaning method I have given in the previous vazhaippoo vadai recipe)

Moong dal or Toor dal 3/4 boiled-1 cup

Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp

Salt -1/2 tsp

Chilli powder-1 tsp

Coconut grated-1tbsp

Onion 4 shallots chopped

For seasoning:

Cumin seeds-1 tsp

Split Urad dal 1/2 tsp

Ghee or oil- 1tsp

curry leaves-1 twig

Method:

1.Boil chopped vazhaippoo with 3/4 boiled Moong dal and Turmeric powder until it cooks soft.

2.Add Salt and chilli powder (sambar masala powder also can be used) .

3.Heat pan with oil or Ghee and season with the above-mentioned ingredients add curry leaves and chopped onion saute for 3 minutes and add grated coconut mix well.

4.Now add boiled dal and Vazhaippoo and mix well let it boil all together for 2 minutes .

5. It is ready to serve with hot rice.

Note: You can grind coconut and cumin seeds with 3 shallots of onion and mix along with step-4,this gives you different flavour and taste.