Valaipoo Thoran | Valaipoo Poriyal

Valaipoo is one of my favorites. I love having it. But hate the extra work in cleaning it. Even if you are more experienced, you will take minimum of 30 minutes to clean it. Also there is more probability of it getting turned black. Hence, I buy it only occasionally. It has lots and lots of health benefits. It is good for kidney and uterus. It dissolves kidney stones. Those who have calcification problems in kidneys can use valaipoo and valaithandu often in their diet. It will help them solve the problem, naturally. It helps managing anaemia. It controls sugar levels and useful for diabetes. It increases breast milk supply. But it creates gas trouble, which should be considered before giving to lactating mothers. On top if everything, it is really good for dissolving kidney stones.

I know a few recipes with valaipoo. Vada, Usili, Kuzhambu, Podimas and Poriyal. Vada and Poriyal are my choice, anytime. This week when I picked it from the market, I was really happy. It has been quite a long time since I had it. It is very simple to make poriyal. You can clean and store it valaipoo properly at night and make it in mornings or afternoons for lunch. I have added a ground coconut masala which adds more taste. Adding a dash of coconut oil at the end makes it more tasty. This poriyal will taste good with sambar, pulissery or rasam.

Valaipoo Thoran | Valaipoo Poriyal | Banana Flower Recipe

Prep Time : 40 mins	Cooking Time: 15 mins
Yield: 2 cups	Serving Size: 1/2 cup	Calories per Serving: 70

Ingredients

Valaipoo - half portion yielding 1 cup of cleaned flowers
Chopped Onion - 2 tablespoons
Moong dhal or Siruparuppu - 1 tablespoon
coconut oil - 1 teaspoon
mustard seeds, urid dhal and curry leaves - for tempering
turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
salt - as per taste

grated coconut - 1/3 cup
shallot - 1
red chillies - 1 or 2
cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Quick Procedure

Remove kallan and the plastic like small cover.
Chop it and put it in salt water. You can also add buttermilk to water and use it to avoid the darkening of valaipoo.

Grind grated coconut, shallot, red chillies and cumin seeds, coarsely.
Chop valaipoo to small size.
Heat a pan. Add oil. Add mustard seeds, urid dhal and curry leaves. Let them sputter.
Add chopped onions and washed moong dhal. Saute till the raw smell goes off.
Add chopped valaipoo. Add turmeric powder. Saute well.
Sprinkle some water. Cover and cook it. Stir occasionally. It will take only 10 minutes max to get cooked.
Now open the lid. Saute it twice and add the ground coconut mixture.
Add a dash of (only a dash) coconut oil and required salt. Saute well.
Let the coconut turn from sticky to dry. Now you can switch off the flame and serve it with any kind of kuzhambu.

Step-wise Pictures

Heat a pan. Add oil. Add mustard seeds, urid dhal and curry leaves. Let them sputter. Add chopped onions and washed moong dhal. Saute till the raw smell goes off.

Add chopped valaipoo. Add turmeric powder. Saute well. Sprinkle some water.

Cover and cook it. Stir occasionally. It will take only 10 minutes max to get cooked. Grind grated coconut, shallot, red chillies and cumin seeds, coarsely.