VALAI POO KOOTU / Banana Flower kootu

VAALAI POO KOOTU

Ingredients:
1 vaalai poo
100 grms toor dal soaked and boiled till cooked.
1 big onion chopped
4 pips garlic smashed.
1 small piece of ginger cut fine
3 dried chillies cut into ' pieces
tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin powder
tsp tumeric powder
1 sprig curry leaves
cup curds
salt to taste oil.

Method:
Mix the curd with a litre of water in a basin.
Remove the maroon coloured sheath of the flower.
Remove a bunch of florets at a time.
Remove the stamen and also the white pinkish petal.
Cut the florets into small pieces. Soak them in the curd, water mixture.
This is to avoid the flowers turning black.
Heat oil in a wok. Add oil, then the mustard seeds.
Add in the onions, garlic, and ginger .
Add in also the dry chillies and curry leaves. Stir nicely.
Mean time wash the flowers, once and squeeze out the water.
Now add the flower, cumin powder, and tumeric powder.
Stir fry nicely, add the cooked dal, salt and let the flowers cook.
Sprinkle some water if needed, otherwise the liquid in the dal is enough.
Remove from stove when cooked.
Serve with rice or roti.

Note:
Normally there will be some bitterness in the flower.
You soak the chopped flowers in butter milk and little salt, for about half an hour.
then squeeze out all the liquid. The flower will not be that bitter.