Vazhaipoo Kuzhambu- Ayira Meen Kuzhambu:
Vegetarian Ayira meen kulambu’ (Ayira meen – very tiny fish, vazhaipoo tend to look like tiny anchovies, appearance, and taste.
Here we follow the same recipe with vazhaippoo. Tangy and spicy, delicious curry with numerable health benefits.
Banana Flower/ Vazhaipoo health benefits,
Banana flower or vazhaipoo one of the healthiest veggie. Very good for women of all ages, it has more fiber, High in iron content.
1.Curing the infection
2. Reducing free radical activity
3. Overcoming diabetes and anemia
4. Reducing bleeding during menstruation and improve mood
5. Help facilitate breastfeeding
Try this recipe you will really love it.
How to clean banana flower?
Open the florets one by one by rubbing the tip gently, using the tips of your forefinger and thumb. Pull out the hard plastic like stigma from the center of the floret, and also the plasticity sheath like sepals which cover each floret.
Put the florets and immediately immerse in watery buttermilk to prevent blackening of the flowers.
Shallots or small onion – 15 nos
Jeera (cumin seeds)1/2 tsp
Sombu fennel seeds- 1 to 1/2 tsp
Red chilly – 5 nos Coriander seeds-1 tbsp
Heat 1tsp of oil in a pan and fry the above item, allow it to cool and grind it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
OR
Chili Sambar powder also can be used to prepare for fast preparation to get fresh from Chettinad kitchens. Click the link below
https://www.chettinadsnacksonline.com/collections/masala-podi/products/sambar-milagai-podi
For preparing kuzhambu:
Oil -50ml this is necessary
shallots or small onion – 1 cup chopped
Garlic -5 cloves chopped
Banana flower or vazhaipoo – 1 cup, between the part of the flower, is best for this Gravy.
Small lemon sized tamarind, extract the juice from it
Masala powder1- 1/2tsp (sambar- https://www.chettinadsnacksonline.com/collections/masala-podi/products/sambar-milagai-podi)
Turmeric powder 1/4tsp
Salt -1tsp as required.
Mustard – 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Tomato-1
Method:
Heat wide mouth kadai, add the gingelly oil and mustard, once splutters add the curry leaves.
Add the chopped onion, Garlic and saute till it turns brown, add sliced tomato.
Now add the banana flower and saute well. Then add the masala paste we ground, or sambar podi 21 1/2 tbsp, salt, turmeric powder and mix well.
Then add the tamarind juice along with 2cups of water.
Allow it to boil on a medium flame for few minutes.
At one point, the oil oozes out now switch off the flame. This will be the greatest replacement for non – vegetarian.
Note: Add coconut milk if you prefer I have not added here.
Chettinad Cookbook - Learn and Serve 
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