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.