Vazhachundu / Vazhakoombu Payar Thoran (Banana Flower And Lentil Stir Fry)
Traditional kerala veg recipe of vazhachundu payar / Vazhakoombu payar thoran. A healthy, easy and simple side dish for rice. Presenting the recipe for one of my beloved Thoran dishes—Vazhachundu / Koombu (banana flower) thoran, a well-received vegetable side dish. The robust texture of chundu might be the reason it's enticing even for non-vegetarians 😉While Koombu and payar (red gram) are the traditional pairing, it can also be enjoyed on its own. In this recipe, I've utilized Cherupayar (green gram), but you can alternatively opt for vanpayar (cowpeas). It results in a delectable and nutritious dish.
Ingredients
- 550 – 600 gms Vazhachundu / Vazhakoombu / Banana Flower (finely chopped)
- 3/4 cup / 150 gms Cherupayar (Green gram) (refer notes for cooking procedure)
- 2.5 cups Grated coconut
- 8 – 10 Shallots / Small Onion (sliced)
- 3 – 4 Green chilli (slit lengthwise)
- 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Pepper powder
- Salt
- 1 tbsp Coconut oil
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 10 – 15 Curry leaves
Instructions
- Combine together grated coconut, sliced shallots, green chilli, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp pepper powder, salt and curry leaves.
- Heat oil in a deep and wide pan. Crackle the mustard seeds. Add grated coconut mixture and fry for 1-2 mins.
- Add chopped banana flower and mix well. Bring the entire mixture to the middle of the pan and pile it up (koonja kootuka). Cover and cook for 8 – 10 mins on lowest flame. Open and check whether it's done. If it needs more cooking, sprinkle some water and cover and cook for another 4-5 mins or till it's done.
- Add cooked cherupayar and mix well. Cover and cook for another 5 mins.
Notes
- Remove the few outer layers of banana flower and chop it finely by hand. You can also chop it in a food processor. Soak the chopped banana flower in turmeric water (1/2 tsp) for 15 mins. Rinse it under running water 3-4 times. Squeeze out the water completely from the chopped banana flower and keep it aside.
- To cook cherupayar: Rinse the cherupayar under running water a few times. Pressure cook cherupayar with 2 – 2.5 cups of water for 5-6 whistles on full flame. Let the pressure drop naturally. Open the cooker and drain excess water.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!