Vazhai Thandu Poriyal - Banana Stem / Plantain Stem Stir fry Recipe

Vazhai thandu poriyal is one of the healthy recipes which my mom makes once in a week. It is also called as Plantain Stem/ Banana stem and has got many nutritional benefits. Some of the medicinal uses are as follows:

• Helps to relieve from constipation
• heals stomach pain
• Manages cholesterol and blood pressure
• Flushes out toxins
• Aids in digestion
• Helps to relieve pain from UTI

Read the recipe and try this healthy recipe atleast once in a week.

Ingredients needed to make Vazhai thandu poriyal 

Vazhai Thandu / Plantain Stem – 2 cups
Moong dal / Pasi paruppu– 3 tbsp
Onions - 1 no.
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut – 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Bengal Gram / Channa dal – 1 tsp
Whole dry red chilies – 2
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil as needed

Ingredients needed to make Vazhai thandu poriyal 

1. Remove the outer covering of the plantain stem always select tender stem.
2. Cut the plantain stem into round pieces and then chop them to fine pieces. Just remove the fibres while you chop.
3. Add a spoon of curd into a cup of water and soak the chopped plantain stem in the mixture. This process will retain the white color of plantain stem or else they may turn black in color.
4. Soak the moong dal in water for 15 minutes. Chop the onions into fine pieces.
5. Heat oil in a kadai add mustard seeds and when they crackle, add urad dal and channa dal and once they become golden brown, add broken dry chilies, chopped onions, asafoetida and sauté well.
6. Add the chopped plantain stem and saute well.
7. Now drain the water from the dal and add this to the above mixture.  Add the required amount of salt and turmeric powder and close with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
8. Do not add water as the water content in the banana stem is enough to cook. 
9. When the plantain stem becomes soft and cooked, add grated coconut, mix well and switch off the flame.

Serve Vazhai thandu poriyal with hot Rice and sambar.