Plantain Flower Qorma
- 24
- January
- 2009
Vazhai Poo Korma:
This is my back home cook, Usha Nandhini’s recipe. She is a real sweet heart. Whenever I visit home…I take over the kitchen, she will be helping me around. I always take tips from her before cooking certain vegetables. Since I never get a chance of seeing most of the endemic species/Indian veggies lately…I make it a point to prepare only native vegetables, when I visit home. So she will be letting me know some of her secret recipes. She is smart in making country style recipes. Both my Dad and Mom appreciate her cooking. I owe a lot to Usha!:) She is paying my duty there…
Well…one fine day, she brought these plantain flowers for me. I planned on making the usual, either vadai or kootu! Because that is what Mommy would do! Usha asked me to try this curry recipe, in fact ‘Korma’. I was really skeptical about it. Lots of spices in this humble vegetable…how it will turn up??? But she assured me…that I will like it. It was also different to use ‘Chana Dal’ in this Korma. Chana dal will be cooked and still intact in shape tho’. Adds stregth to the curry actually. She told…its her best meat alternative recipe. Truly it was…very flavoursome…flowers tasted like mutton to me! That was whole lot of experience…every one enjoyed it, absolutely became a fan of this korma, lately. Thanks Usha.
Ingredients:
Plantain Flower 1 large(cleaned)
Chana dal 1 cup soaked 20 minutes ahead
Onions 2 finely chopped
Tomato 2 finely chopped
Fresh ginger paste 2 spoons
Fresh garlic paste 2 spoons
Green chilies 3 slitted
Curry leaves 3 twigs
Cloves 3
Cinnamon 3
Cardamom 3 pods
Fennel seeds 1 – 2 spoons
Bay leaves 2
Cas cas milk few spoons(2 spoons of cas cas wet ground…maybe after soaked in warm water)
Fresh coconut 1 (chopped and wet ground to thick milk)
Oil 1 cup
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Chili powder 1 -2 spoons
Oil few spoons
Cilantro leaves few to garnish.
Method:
Clean plantain flower carefully. Smear oil in your palm before doing so…as they leave a stain in your fingers. Remove the make stigma, pith and the bract(see my previous plantain flower posts for effective cleaning tips). Then chop them coarsely, leave in cold water, until cooking.
Soak chana dal in water 20 minutes ahead of cooking.
In a pan heat oil, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel seeds, bay leaves, curry leaves and green chilies. Fry them for a while.
Now add onions and fry till golden brown.
Then add ginger – garlic paste to it. Fry them till its raw smell leaves.
Later add tomatoes and fry till its water content is lost.
Now add little bit of salt, turmeric, chili powder. Saute for few minutes.
Further add chopped flower and chana dal. Saute till oil and masala coats to all the side.
Now add water. Cover and cook over medium heat.
When the veggies and dal are done….add cas cas milk and thick coconut milk to this. Let this come to boil 3-5 times.
Remember chana dal will be cooked…but still intact in shape.
Garnish with cilantro leaves.
Serve warm to go with chapathis/dosa/idly/iddiyappam. Serves best with plain steamed rice!
This sounds very intresting Malar, vazaipoo with channa dhal and masalas…I should definitely try this one…
I haven’t seen a korma recipe with plantain flower yet.this is a real great recipe..hats off to your cook..(btw,i make dry one that too with channa dal)
its different and lovely
Interesting! haven’t tried kurma with banana flowers!
Whoa! I am hungry now,make me more hungry! I love vazhappoo! This korma sounds awesome!
Making khorma is something new to me. Looks yummy, spicy and delish.
for some reason, i can’t see any of your pics!
am gonna prepare this very soon,will buy plantain flower to prepare this dish, just drooling rite now here..
Love vazhaipoo very much . I have never heard of this korma. But it should be a wonderful. May be a regional recipe and great to explore those native curries .Right?
Yummy recipe dear.One question Malar.. Should we mash the channa dhal or will it remain as it is? I m eager to try this curry
wow colorful and tasty kurma. will try soon.
Love plantain flowers , i alway make either vada or poriyal with it, but this korma is quite a different one, will definitely try this !
Thanks for sharing dear .
Looks great and sounds very new to me . will give a try.
Very interesting malar. I love vazhai poo, but i get it very very rarely here. for now, i can only have it as a feast for my eyes
btw, the ceramic dish looks very cute. antique piece-a? 
This sounds very interesting..Looks, great, delicious and very healthy too..Nice entry Malar:)
Wow..Something New..Rocking Malar..By the Bye, it looks yummy..
This is something new for me too, but looks as delicious as any other non-veg kurma. must be yummy!
Malar, thank you very much and once again for the encouragements, it means so much to me.
Hey …nice recipe ..something new to me ..will surely try this …Thanks for the comments dear …:)
plantains…n in korma..need to try tht..
looks superb nd tempting pic..
Looks lovely… Pictures make me drool!
very interesting recipe. never tried making korma out of banana flowers!
Love all the spices,a very rich qorma with banana flowers:)