Banana Flower Fritters/Vada

Bananas were originally found in South East Asia, mainly in India. They were brought west by Arab conquerors in 327 B.C. and moved from Asia Minor to Africa and finally carried to the New World by the first explorers and missionaries to the Caribbean. The mass production of bananas started in 1834 and really started exploding in the late 1880’s.1

  

Before the 1870’s most of the land that bananas were grown on in the Caribbean had been previously used to grow sugar. After this time low marsh land started to be drained along with forests that were cleared in Central America for banana monocrops (which is growing one crop to increase productivity). It turns out to be delicious, crispy and perfect match with a hot cup of filter coffee and chutney.

Facts about banana flower

 The flower of the banana plant is also known as banana blossom or banana heart. The family to whom banana belongs is called Musaceae as banana blossom, represent a valuable source of potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, minerals, fatty acid content, flavonoids, saponin, essential and non-essential amino acid, tannins, glycoside and steroid. Banana flower is a good antioxidant source. Banana flower has a huge nutritional value and healthy benefit. In most tropical countries, bananas flower are used for cooking. People came to the conclusion that cooking of banana flower has about the very high nutritional and calorie content than other ones. The flower of the banana plant is used in Southeast Asian, Indian, and Bengali cooking either served raw with dips or cooked in soups, dip fried, cutlet and curries. The objective of present study was the utilization of banana flowers could provide healthy benefits of human being.

BANANA FLOWER VADA

Ingredients for Vada :-

1. Boiled banana florets - 2 cup
2. Soaked chickpeas - 1 cup

3. Onion - 1/2

4. Curry leaves - 12-15 leaves

5. Green chilis - 3

6. Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

7. Ginger paste - 1/2 tbsp

8. Garlic - 1 clove chopped

Preparation for Banana Flower Vada :-

1. Take the banana flower and open the petal like coverings one after another.

2. You will see the florets as the pic given below and gently break them from the stem.

3. A hard stick like structure remains enclosed within the floret. If you touch the floret from the tip, this stick comes out. Remove it gently. It needs a little practice. Chop the florets.

Boil the banana floret for 5 -7 mins and drain the water.

4. Immerse chickpeas (chana daal) in a bowl full of water. Meanwhile chop the banana florets.

5. Grind the daal to make a fine paste .

TIPS : Don't grind the dal continuously, it may get warm and damage the motor. Turn off the grinder in every 1 min to keep it cool. 

6. Heat pan with 1 tbsp oil. Roast some curry leaves for 2secs. You have to add chopped onions, green chilis and the boiled banana florets.

7. Add fennel seeds and fried curry leaves.

8. Add chopped garlic, 1/2 tbsp ginger paste and salt to taste.

 9. Mix and mash to a thick paste.  Heat a frying pan on oven. Put mustard oil. Heat oil. Take a spoonful batter or u can use your hands, dip it in oil carefully.

Fry round shaped dal batter till light brown. Strain the excess oil and keep aside.

CHUTNEY

Ingredients for chutney :-

1. Tomato - 2

2. Green chili - 4 

3. Garlic - 4 cloves

4. A bunch of mint leaves and coriander leaves

5. Lemon - 1/2 part

6. Honey - 1 tsp

Preparation for chutney :-

1. Grill two tomatoes on oven.

2. Take the burnt tomatoes, chilis, garlic, coriander and mint leaves. Grind them .

3. Add honey and lemon juice.

4. Your chutney is ready. Serve and enjoy with vadas.
* Check the amount of salt and sugar before serving. Spread happiness.

For more such recipes, stay tuned to my blog.☺❤

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