Banana Flower Masala Vada /Vazhapoo Masala Vada

 Banana flower masala vada / Vazhapoo masala vada is a deep fried tea time snack made with banana flower florets and split bengal gram/chana dal. Banana flower masala vada recipe is given below with step by step photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Banana Flower Masala Vada/Vazhapoo Masala Vada.

Ingredients:-

Banana flower florets. - 1cup chopped
Chana dal.                    - 1 cup
Onion.                          - 1 big
Green chillies.              - 3
Ginger.                          - 1 inch piece
Garlic.                           - 3
Curry leaves.                 - 1 spring
Fennel seeds.                 - 2tsp
Pepper corn.                   - 1tsp
Coriander leaves.            - few
Salt.                                 - to taste

Instructions:-

1). Wash and soak chana dal /split bengal gram in water for 2 hours. Then drain the soaked water completely from chana dal.Keep aside 1tsp soaked chana dal seperately from it.

2). Finely chop onion, coriander leaves and curry leaves, chop green chillies into small round pieces, chop ginger and garlic into small pieces and keep all the above ingredients on a plate.

3). In a mixer grinder add soaked chana dal, chopped ginger, chopped green chillies, chopped garlic, black pepper corns, fennel seeds and required salt.

4). Grind all the above ingredients together to a coarse paste without adding water and keep aside.

5). Peel and discard the outer red petals of the banana flower and collect the white banana flower florets attached to each red petals.Remove the match stick like pistil and plastic petal like calyx from each banana flower florets. Then finely chop the white banana flower florets and keep aside.Do this step just before adding it into the ground paste, to prevent it from blackening.

Method:-

1). In a mixing bowl add the coarsely ground chana dal mixture, finely chopped banana flower white florets, finely chopped onion, finely chopped curry leaves, finely chopped coriander leaves and 1tsp soaked chana dal. Mix well all the above ingredients in the mixing bowl using your hand.

2). Apply little oil or water on your palm.Take a small portion of the chana dal mixture and make a round ball shape and keep it on your palm. Gently press and flatten it on your palm using your fingers and make patties.Prepare similar patties with the remaining chana dal mixture and keep them on a plate.

3). Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying.Once the oil is hot drop the prepared patties in hot oil and deep fry them in batches until crisp and golden brown on all sides.

4). Remove the deep fried banana flower masala vadas from hot oil and transfer to a tissue paper to absorb excess oil, then to a serving plate.

A very tasty and crispy Banana Flower Masala Vada / Vazhapoo Masala Vada is ready to serve hot with a cup of hot tea or coffee.