Vazhai Poo Vadai is a comforting South Indian snack made from banana flower (vazhai poo). It is fried into golden, crunchy fritters that are crispy on the outside and tender and fragrant inside. Each bite is scented with curry leaves, green chiles, and a hint of asafoetida. This vadai is unexpectedly wholesome, with protein-rich Bengal gram lending body and banana florets adding a delicate, slightly nutty flavor. Soak the dhal, clean the florets carefully, and briefly soak them in buttermilk to prevent discoloration. Squeeze out excess water before frying—this simple prep yields light, non-greasy vadai. These fritters are perfect with a hot cup of chai or a tangy coconut chutney. They are a rustic, satisfying treat that celebrates seasonal produce. They are surprisingly easy to make at home.
This snack is made with banana flower (vazhai poo) and is served with tea or coffee.
Coconut chutney
Difficulty: EasyA simple coconut chutney made with just coconut. You can also season it with curry leaves, mustard and red chilies.
Vazhai Poo Vadai Recipe
Vazhai Poo Vadai
This snack is made with banana flower (vazhai poo) and is served with tea or coffee.
20
servings2
hours30
minutes30
minutesIngredients
Vazhai Poo (Banana flower) – 1
Bengal Gran Dhal – 2 cups
Red Chillies – 4
Asafotida powder – a pinch
Sombu (aniseeds) – 1 teaspoon
Fresh ginger – small piece
Onion – 1
Green chillies – 2
Curry Leaves – Few
Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste
Oil – for deep frying
Buttermilk – ½ cup (for soaking the florets)
Directions
- Soak bengal gram dhal for two to three hours.
- Chop onion, green chillies and curry leaves finely.
- Remove the big skin (bract) and take out the florets found underneath. In the florets, you will find a string in the middle and a rubbery skin outside. Remove both from each floret. Then chop all the florets into tiny bits and put in water mixed with butter milk. This will avoid discoloration of the florets.
- Wash well and put the chopped florets in a vessel and add little salt and mix well. Keep it aside.
- Wash and drain the water completely from soaked dhal. Mix soaked dhal, red chillies, ginger, sombu, asafoetida and salt together and grind to a coarse paste. Remove it.
- Take out a handful of florets and squeeze out the excess water and add it to the dhal paste. Add chopped onions, green chillies, curry leaves and mix well.
- Heat oil in a kadai. Take out a lemon size dough and flatten it. Deep fry in oil till it become golden brown.
Simply superb. I make curry out of banana flowerlets, but this was great
Thank you Jammi.
Once again this recipe also came out well and crunchy too.
Thanks for the recipe, do you recipe for vazhapoo curry.
Thank you Akila for your feed back. For Vazhaipoo curry, please check here https://www.kamalascorner.com/2007/08/vazhai-poo-banana-flower-poriyal.html
Amma, I tried Vazhayi poo Vadai & Carrot Sago Payasam. Both came out simply superb.. Now I’m a regular visitor of your site
Thank you Jyothi for trying my recipes and your kind feedback on this.
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