Vazhaipoo Vadai/ Banana Flower Fritters – Delicious Evening Snack!

Vazhaipoo vadai recipe: It’s one of the popular South Indian vada varieties, not made so often though. Its soft inside, crunchy outside and tastes extremely good. The difficult part is in cleaning the banana florets. However, if you are making in small quantity, its worth an evening snack.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup channa dhal
1 cup banana florets
1/2 medium sized onion (finely chopped)
1/2 tblspn fennel seeds
Few coriander leaves (finely chopped)
1 stalk of curry leaves(finely chopped)
3 green chillies(finely chopped)
Pinch of hing
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak channa dhal for two hours.
Remove the center hard stalk and the transparent petal from each florets of the banana flower(ref. Image given below). Soak in buttermilk as they might turn colour.
In a bowl mix onions, curry leaves, coriander leaves, hing, salt and green chillies.
Coarsely grind channa dhal with fennel seeds and add to the above mix. Keep aside.
Heat water in a vessel. Add banana florets, turmeric powder and salt. Let it get cooked for 3-4 minutes in high flame. Switch off the stove
Wash the banana florets in cold water and drain the time water completely. Squeeze the florets with your palms to remove excess water.
Coarsely grind the florets and add to the above mix and nicely stir the entire mix. Vada mix is ready now.
Heat oil in a pan. The oil has to be hot enough so that as soon as you drop a tiny bit of vada mix, it would raise immediately to the top.
Now make the vada mix into round patties and drop in the oil. Don’t stir or try to raise the vada with the spatula. Wait for a minute or so, for the vada to get cooked and raise to the top of the oil.
Cook in medium flame. Flip sides inbetween. When the vada turns golden brown on both the sides, remove with oil stainer spatula and place on paper towel to remove excess oil.
Serve with coffee or tea.