Plantain flower Kootu.

Ingredients:

Plantain flower 1
Thoor/ Moong/ chana dal 1/4 cup
Green chilies 3 finely chopped
Onion 1 finely chopped
Garlic 6 cloves chopped
Ginger 2″ peeled and chopped
Tomatoes 1-2 fienly chopped
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1/2 spoon
Mustar seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few
Oil few spoons
Cilantro leaves few to garnish.

Method:

Cook any one of the dal(thuvar/moong/chana dal) in a pressure cooker.

Remove the bracts of the flower. Remove its male stamen and transluscent pith as well. Then chop them roughly and leave in cold water until told.

Maybe add salt or lemon juice to this water to avoid discoloring.

Maybe add salt and few spoons of oil in it. Cook till soft and set aside.

In a large wok/handi, heat oil. Add chilies, let it crackle well.

Then add ginger and garlic, fry real good…till its raw odour leaves.

Add onions and salt. Fry till onions turn to golden color.

Now add tomatoes, cover and cook. Once tomatoes wilt, stir-in finely chopped flower.

Fry for few minutes, maybe till the vegetables coats oil. Add cooked dal(lentils).

Cover and cook over medium heat.

When the vegetable is done soft and much of the moisture is absorbed, remove from heat.

Heat oil, in a seperate pan…add mustards, cumin, asafoetida and curry leaves to it.

Allow it to crackle well. Now run this seasoning over the ‘kootu’ prepared above.

Garnish with finely chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve warm as a side dish for South Indian Meals or as a subzi for chappathi/roti.