Banana flower ava curry or Arti puvvu ava kura

Banana flower or Aarti puvvu is little different in taste. The taste is referred as vagaru in Telugu. The taste of a small new budding mango. The bark of banana tree and banana flower has medicinal properties and is very good for health. The doota or banana bark is known to reduce weight, it has lot of fiber, it is considering good for curing stones in kidneys and pancreas. The banana flower is considered for reduce pain and excess bleeding during menstruation. It is advised not to have it during pregnancy. My mother told me not have this curry and pansa pattu curry to during pregnancy. It is good to eat while lactation, it is believed to increase milk production.

Ingredients:

Banana flower 1

Urad dal or Menapa pappu 1 teaspoon

Chana dal or Senaga papu1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds or Avalu 1 teaspoon

Jeera or Jeelakara ½ teaspoon

Red chilies 4

Ginger ½ inch

Green chilies 2

(Adjust accordingly)

Mustard powder 1 teaspoon

Tamarind paste 2 inch by 2 inch piece

Hing or Asefotida Powder 2 pinches

Oil 3 teaspoons or 1 table spoon

Curry Leaves 1 spring

Salt as needed

Preparation:

1. Before you start apply oil to your palms. Remove the big skin maroon color one, inside it there are cream colored florets. In the florets there is a transparent rubbery skin outside. In side the floret there is string in the middle. The string is called as dongadu in telugu. Remove the both.

2. As proceed plucking the banana flower the size reduces. It becomes smaller it is tough to remove the transparent rubbery and middle string. You can add the florets to the remaining florets.

3. Chop the florets into small  pieces or you can use mixie or blender to make them into small pieces. I have used the mixie. Transfer the chopped florets into a deep pan or vessel. Clean this 3 to 4 times in running water. Add water, salt and turmeric powder and cook it until the florets are fully cooked. Wash your hands well with salt and hand detergent.

4. After the florets are cooked and cooled. Drain the excess water and keep it aside. Make a paste of ginger and green chilies and set it aside. Boil hot water and soak tamarind and make a paste of it.

5. Heat a pan and after oil is heated add chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, jeera, red chilies cut into 3 pieces, hing and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds start to splutter and dals change color. Add the tamarind paste and mix well. Let this cook for 3 minutes in low flame till it becomes into thick paste.

6. Add the cooked chopped banana flower. Mix well. Cook for 5 minutes add little salt as you have cooked the banana flower florets in salt.

7. Add the mustard powder and  ginger and green chili paste and mix well. Cook for 3 minutes in low flame. Serve with rice.

We love this curry and doota curry. Here we don’t get doota but we get the banana flower here. So I make this curry occasionally.

Cashew Pakoras

Ingredients:

Cashew nuts 1 cup

Besan or Gram flour or Senaga pindi ½ cup

Chilli powder 1 teaspoon

(Adjust accordingly)

Oil for deep frying

Salt as needed

Preparation:

1. In a bowl mix besan, salt and chilli powder.

2. Add cashews and little by little water and make it a thick batter.

3. In a deep pan heat oil after oil is heated gently add little by little batter to the oil.

4. Fry the pakodas until golden brown color on all sides. Transfer them to a tissue paper and remove the excess oil.

Mixture

Ingredients:

Boondi 3 cups

Peanuts or Ground nuts 1 cup

Poha or Attukulu 1 cup

Roasted chana dal or Dalia 1 cup

Dried Curry leaves 15 string

Red chilli powder 2 teaspoons

(adjust accordingly)

Oil for deep frying

Salt as needed

Preparation:

1. Click this link for the preparation of boondi.

 

2. Heat a deep pan and add oil to it. Add roasted chana dal and then they are roasted , using a holes spatuala, transfer them on a tissue paper.

3. Now add peanuts and when they slightly change the color transfer the roasted peanuts using a holed spatula on a tissue paper.

4. Repeat the same for the poha.

5. Mix all the three and add boondi to it.

6. Add salt and red chili powder and mix well.

7. Crush the curry leaves and add the crushed leaves to the mixture.

Sending this to recipe to the Bookmarked recipes hosted by Priya and Aipi.

All purpose flour starter or maida punukulu

Ingredients:

All purpose flour 2 cups

Onion 1 big sized

Baking soda ½ teaspoon

Green chilies 3

Ginger ½ inch

Oil for deep frying

Salt as needed

Preparation:

1. Chop onions, green chilies and ginger into small pieces.

2. In a big bowl add all purpose flour, chopped green chilies, ginger and onion pieces, baking soda, salt and little water. Make the batter into thick consistency.

 3. Heat a pan and add oil for deep frying. Drop the batter with a spoon gently. Fry them uniformly on all sides. Serve with chutney or ketchup.

Beerakaya Tomato pachadi or Ridge gourd skin tomato chutney

Ingredients:

Tomatoes 2

Ridge gourd skin 3 (ridge gourd or beerakaya)

Chana dal or Senaga papu 2 teaspoons

Urad dal or Menapa papu 2 teaspoons

Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon

Jeera or Cumin ½ teaspoon

Red chilies 5

(Adjust accordingly)

Ginger ½ inch piece

Green chili 2 (Adjust accordingly)

Hing 2 pinches

Oil 3 teaspoons or 1 table spoon

Salt as needed

Preparation:

1. Cook the ridge gourd skin in cooker and keep it aside. Cut tomatoes and heat a pan add 1 teaspoon of oil and add the tomato pieces to it. After they are cooked add the cooked ridge gourd skin.

2. Heat a pan and add 2 teaspoons of oil after is heated add chana dal, urad dal, jeera, mustard seeds,hing and red chillies until the urad and chana dal turn their color and mustard seed splutter.

3. In a mixie or grinder grind the tadka. Add the tomato and beerakaya thokku, green chilies, ginger, tamarind and salt adding little water.

Raw Banana/ Aartikaya Cutlets or vadas

Ingredients:

Raw bananas 3

Onions 2

Corn flour 1 cup

Ginger 2 inch piece

Tumeric powder ½  teaspoon

Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon

(adjust accordingly)

Garam masala 1 teaspoon (optional)

Green chillies 4

Salt as needed

Oil for deep frying

Preparation:

1. Peel and chop raw bananas into small pieces. In a deep pan add water and cook them. After they are fully cooked mash them.

2. Chop green chillies, onions, ginger into small pieces. In a bowl add the mashed banana, corn flour, salt, red chilli powder, tumeric powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well.

3. Wet your hand and make them into balls. Flatten them.

4. Keep the cutlets on a plate.

5. Heat a deep pan or skillet and add oil after oil is heated add the cutlets one by one gently.

6. When they are cooked or turn golden brown in color, gently flip them over to the other side.

7. When they are fully cooked on both side transfer them to tissue paper. Serve hot with ketchup or chutney.