Tamil
Banana Stem Chutney (Vazhaithandu Thogayal)
- Duration: 15 minutes
- Serves: 2 to 4 people
-
Spice Level: Low
Authenticity Slice
Take care to use only fresh banana stems to prepare the Thogayal or it will not taste as good as it ideally can.
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Trivia Tadka
Banana stem is known as ‘vazhaithandu’ in Tamil and is a very nutritious root to consume. It is used in soups, stews and curries. This Thogayal, prepared with banana stem, is an easy-to-prepare and tasty dish. Since raw plantain stems are found in abundance in Tamil Nadu and are known for their medicinal value, it is advised to consume them on a regular basis.
Ingredients
- Raw banana stem/plantain stem (1)
- Dry red chillies (sabut lal mirch) (3 to 4)
- Tamarind (imli), de-seeded (small, lemon-sized)
- Black gram (urad dal) (1 tsp)
- Asafoetida (hing) (2 to 3 pinches)
- Salt (to taste)
- Oil (1 to 2 tbsp)
Method
- Remove the thread like portion from the banana stems and chop finely.
- Soak the chopped pieces in water and keep them aside.
- In a pan, add 1 tsp of oil and roast the dal, lal mirch and hing. Keep aside.
- Heat oil in a kadhai. Then, toss in the chopped stems after draining out the water.
- Next, add some salt and keep sautéing till it is completely cooked and the quantity has reduced to half the original amount. Keep aside to cool.
- Grind the cooked stems with all the ingredients and tamarind into a smooth paste. Add in a little water, if required.
- Use as a side dish with rasam rice or curd rice.
