Vazhai Thandu Kootu is a South Indian dish made with banana stem (Vazhai Thandu), lentils, and coconut. It is a healthy and nutritious dish that is usually served with rice or roti. The banana stem is known for its medicinal properties and is rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. To make Vazhai Thandu Kootu, the banana stem is cleaned, chopped, and cooked with lentils, spices, and coconut paste. It is a flavorful and delicious dish that is popular in South Indian households.
Vazhai Thandu Kootu
6
servings10
minutes15
minutesLearn how to make Vazhai Thandu Kootu, a nutritious South Indian dish packed with fiber and essential vitamins. Perfect with rice or roti!
Ingredients
Banana Stem – Foot long
Green Gram Dhal – ½ cup
Sambar Powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Coconut gratings – 2 tablespoon
Seeragam (Cumin) – 1 teaspoon
Rice flour – 1 teaspoon
Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste
- For seasoning:
Oil – 1 teaspoon
Mustard – ½ teaspoon
Urad Dal – 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder – 2 pinches
Red Chili – 1
Small Sambar onion – 4 Nos
Curry leaves – few
Directions
- Begin by slicing the banana stem into round pieces, meticulously removing any fibers, then dice them into small cubes. Immerse these cubes in water; for a tip to prevent them from turning brown, a splash of buttermilk can be mixed into the water.
- Next, tenderly cook the green gram dal with a pinch of turmeric until it achieves a soft texture.
- Transfer the prepped banana stem cubes into a cooking pot. Sprinkle in sambar powder, a dash of turmeric powder, and a pinch of salt for taste. Pour in just enough water to submerge the banana stem pieces, and allow them to simmer until they become tender.
- Incorporate the previously softened dal into the mixture, blending it thoroughly. Maintain the dish over a medium flame to ensure even cooking.
- For an added burst of flavor, blend together coconut, cumin seeds, and rice flour until you achieve a smooth paste, then introduce this mixture into the kootu, stirring it well to combine.
- The final flourish involves tempering the dish. Heat a small amount of oil in a pan, then add mustard seeds, urad dal, a sprinkle of asafoetida powder, a red chilli for heat, curry leaves for aroma, and finely chopped small onion for a hint of sweetness. Once these ingredients are fragrant and the mustard seeds start to pop, pour this tempering over the kootu, stirring it one last time to infuse it with these aromatic flavors.
This is one of my favorites. Never had it in USA, though….I wait till next trip to India!
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for visiting my site.
This is my fav one.I miss having this here.I believe this one helps one who has kidney stones….healthy veggie.First time to ur blog…u hv a nice one out here.
This is my fav one.I miss having this here.I believe this one helps one who has kidney stones….healthy veggie.First time to ur blog…u hv a nice one out here.
hi kamala……..
i tried this recipe. good one. really liked. but i have a doubt… should i use raw rice or cooked rice? i tried with cooked rice… please clear this
Hi Thushara,
Thank you for visiting my site. You have to use raw rice. Normally to thicken Kootu or Kuzhambu little rice powder mixed with water is added. Instead of adding rice powder, we used to add raw rice while grinding coconut. It acts as thickening agent.
thank ukamala for clearing my doubt…. wil keep trying ur recipes…
Mami, all of your receipes are good. I would love to try my hand
Thank you Ramasubramanian. Please try and let me know your feed back.
Nice receipe very useful for those who start cooks easy n simple