- Submitted by Dahlia
(Plantain Pith Yogurt Salad, Vaazhapindi Pachadi, Banana Stem Raita, Banana Stem Mor Kootu)
Vaazhaithandu mor or Banana stem is a humble vegetable that is full of goodness. Though easily available, it is sometimes looked down upon. I’m sure you will change your attitude if you are aware of its numerous health benefits.
In South India, banana stem is used to make poriyal (thoran), soup, juice, pickle and kootu. I love the crunchy texture of the banana stem. It makes a perfect pair with the creaminess of curd. Today’s recipe Vaazhaithandu mor kootu also combines banana stem with curd. My friend Raji has already shared the recipe of Kerala style Vaazha pindi Pachadi, which is a very similar dish. The only difference is that in pachadi, mustard seeds are ground along with coconut; whereas in mor kootu, cumin seeds are used. This gives a mild taste variation.
Use fresh thick yogurt to make this dish for best results. Kids usually enjoy yogurt based dishes because they are mild in taste. My daughter loves to mix this mor kootu with plain white rice and eat. So do try out this tasty Vaazhaithandu mor kootu.
Recipe For Vazhaithandu Mor Kootu
Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 10 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients
For Tempering
- Oil - 1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
- Dried Red Chilly - 1
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Method
- Peel the outer layers of the banana stem, cut into roundels, then juliennes and the chop it. Remove the fibers using your index finger while cutting. Put the chopped pieces in a bowl filled with water and some curd.
- Swirl with a wooden stick and the fibers will get tangled with the stick. Check out the detailed steps for cleaning banana stem here.
- Once the whole stem is chopped, drain the water. Take it in a pot, add just 2-3 tbsp of water and little salt.
- Cover and cook it for about 5 minutes. Some people like to pressure cook the banana stem to make it softer but I put prefer to keep it little crunchy.
- In the meantime, grind the coconut, green chili and cumin seeds to a smooth paste. You can add 1 tsp of rice flour if you prefer to thicken the kootu.
- Add the ground coconut paste to the cooked banana stem and mix.
- Cook for just a minute and switch off.
- Do the tempering in a small pan separately and add it to the kootu.
- After it cools a bit, beat the curd and mix it. Tasty vaazhaithandu mor kootu is ready to be served.
Serving Suggestion
- Banana stem mor kootu can be served with white rice and some spicy tamarind based gravies.
- It can also be served with roti like a raita. Tastes yummy!!
- People who are on diet can eat it plain like a salad. I had a friend who used to eat this as a salad for dinner when she was dieting.
More Banana Stem Recipes