HOW TO PREPARE PLANTAIN FLOWER/ BANANA FLOWER (VAAZHA POOV / VAAZHA KOOMBHU)FOR COOKING?

Plantain / banana flowers( Vaazha poov / Vaazha Koombu) are rich source of dietary fibers , proteins ,vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids. It is said to be good for menstrual problems , diabetic disorders and stomach ulcers. A very healthy diet for pregnant women in certain dosage. They are part of many cuisines in the world. They also possess immense medicinal value.

Cleaning plantain flower can be quiet time consuming but it is worth the effort for the health benefits it offers. 

How to prepare Plantain flower / banana flower for cooking?

1.    Wash the plantain flower well.

2.    Remove the outer petal (Purple coloured leaf like portion) and you can see a bunch of florlets inside.

3.    Brush your hands with oil and before you  start cutting to avoid sticking on to your hand

4.    Take the florlets , remove the stamen and chop finely. Discard the white colored thick bottom portion of florlets

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5.    Keep the chopped plantain flower in water to avoid discolouration. keeping the plantain flower in diluted butter milk will prevent discolouration more  than keeping it  in water.

6.    After removing two or three outer petals, at one stage, the florets will be so small that there will be no need to remove the stamen. The outer cover will be very tender and so you can chop it as such.

7.    Keep the chopped plantain flower in water till you cook.

8.    Drain and squeeze the excess water before you start cooking.

 

HOW TO PREPARE BANANA STEM FOR COOKING?

Banana stem / Vazha Pindi / Vazha thandu is a potassium rich food with high fiber content and it has many other amazing nutritive and health benefits. It is also rich in vitamin B6, which helps in production of haemoglobin and insulin. It improves the ability of body to fight against infection. It helps in lowering blood pressure and also helps in weight loss. It is a diuretic and helps to detoxify the body. Some believe that banana stem can prevent and treat kidney stones. It is a mild laxative. It Cools the body. Therefore consumption twice a week is recommended.

However, cutting the banana stem is cumbersome and time consuming. It can be had as raw,  juice or as a cooked food.

How to prepare banana stem for cooking?

                                    

The Outer layer of banana stem is usually removed when you get it from super markets or vegetable stores. But most of the times you get banana stems which are not that fresh from super markets. So it is advisable to strip off one more layer before using.

 

Slice the banana stem into thin discs. As you do this, you can see fibers refusing to let the discs go from the stem. Remove those fibers with your index finger in a circular movement. 

 

Place the cut discs in a bowl of water. Add few drops of buttermilk or curd. This is done to prevent discoloration. Continue this till you cut the entire stem into discs.

Stack 6-8 discs on a chopping board. First cut vertically ,then horizontally to get fine pieces.

 SUGGESTION

Try to select white colored stem from super markets , as it indicates freshness.