Noblest of All Recipes-Vazhapoo Podimas

- February 20, 2017

Every morning brings along with it a new freshness, new hope,positive thoughts and if it happens to be Chinni’s Corner-then of course New Recipes. Even as Chinni ventured into her corner, she told me that today’s food will be ultra simple, and there is nothing much that you can report to the world from my corner today. I decided to probe further having learnt not to give in so easily. On further enquiry she said she was making Vazhaipoo Podimas based on her husband’s (My Father) loving request. Chinni as any doting mother and loving wife would had to give in to the special request made. Chinni’s life has been one full of sacrifice and selfless service. I wondered whether there would be any life as noble yet simple as hers. I guess every Mother would just be the same.

Then the thoughts meandered towards Vazhaipoo…For those of you who do not understand what this is, This is the flower of the Banana tree. A flash of thoughts moved inside myself. Here is a fruit tree that is all about selflessness. It is a much loved fruit. In its raw form it is consumed as a vegetable, including the flower. Its bark is also used to make vegetables/salads. Its leaves are used to serve food in South India. In Kerala Nendranga Chips is very popular also prepared from the Banana family. Can go on like this. However big lesson learnt from a Noble Plant. It only gives and gives, yet with no expectations in return, beside providing for the livelihood of so many people. Can this be told as a story to our children and inculcate a human value or two in them.

So lets move towards the Vazhaipoo Podimas. This is how the Vazhaipoo looks like.

and this is the Vazhapoo-the flower that is the main ingredient which needs to be taken out.

In a Mixer/Blender you need to grind the following ingredients: Chana Dal, Toor Dal(both soaked in water for 15 minutes),Green Chilly, Ginger and Jeera.

Meanwhile, extract the Vazhaipoo and chop them finely, keep aside

Take a Idli Stand, apply a little bit of oil in each of the depressions

Make the paste into ground balls and place them on a Idli stand, you would need to cook this in a vessel.

In a separate cooking add cooking oil and mustard. Allow the mustard to splutter

Add chopped Spring Onions

Add The chopped Vazhai Poo, allow to cook for some time.

Meanwhile the Round Dal Balls would have cooked, Take them out and allow to cool. Grind them again in a Mixer. It will change into a flaky powder. Ensure that no lumps remain while grinding.