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Banana flower is rich in fiber and it is highly nutritious and tastes good.you can prepare different types of dishes using various parts of plantain .This can be served as a side dish with Kerala  rice and curry.

Ingredients

1. vazhakoombhu/Plantain Flower(finely chopped) – 1 cup
2. Turmeric powder –1/2 tsp
3. Red chilly powder –1/2 tsp
4. Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup
5. Garlic –2
6. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
7. Dry red Chilly- 2
8. urad daal (uzhunnu parippu)– 1 tsp
9. oil – 1tbsp
10. salt
11. Curry leaves

preparation

1. Remove the outer layers(4-5 layers) of plantain flower till you see soft and white layer petal(see below pic).
2. Finely chop the flower into small pieces .put the chopped flower in water with little turmeric powder and salt for 10 minutes.squeeze out the extra water and drain.
3. Boil plantain flower with turmeric powder,red chilly powder and salt.
4. Grind coconut and garlic into a coarse paste.
5. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds, dry red chilly,curry leaves and urad daal.once daal turns light brown,add coconut paste to it and mix well.
6. Finally add boiled plantain flower and stir fry to get mixed well for 2 minutes.Turn off the heat.
7. Transfer into a serving bowl and serve with rice as side dish.

I wish all my readers a happy and prosperous onam.

Onasadhya is an inevitable part of Onam. Traditionally sadhya is served on a banana leaf with more than 10 vegetarian dishes and no sadhya is complete without a payasam.Normally I prepare semiya payasam, but this time I tried a different one with pineapple and sabudana,Hope you all love this yummy payasam.

Ingredients

1. Pineapple(ripe/crushed) – 1 cup
2. Jaggery – 150 gms (6-7 blocks)
3. Sabudana(chowari/Sago/Tapioca Pearls) – 1/4 cup
4. Coconut Milk(thick) – 1 cup
5. Ghee – 5 tbsp
6. Milk –1/4 cup
7. Raisins -10
8. Cashew nuts – 10

Preparation

1. Soak sabudana in hot water for 5 minutes and boil with little milk till it becomes transparent.
2. Dissolve jaggery in 1 cup of water.To make syrup,Boil the jaggery mix on medium flame for 10 minutes. Strain to remove impurities.
3. Heat a pan and add jaggery syrup and crushed pineapple to it.Stir on medium flame till pineapple gets mixed with the jaggery approximately 5 minutes.
4. Once it is done,add boiled sabudana and 3tbsp ghee to it and stir.Once it becomes thick, add coconut milk to it and mix well.
5. Finally add boiled milk to it and mix.
6. If you want a thick payasam,you can add cornflour mixed with milk to it.
7. Heat the remaining ghee in a pan and fry cashews and raisins till light brown.
8. Garnish with raisins and cashews.
9. Serve warm.

Soy is high in Proteins and it is a good substitute for meat and contains no fat..This is a healthy and  spicy dry curry for rotis or rice.

Ingredients

1. Cauliflower(medium,cut into florets) – 1 cup
2. Soya chunks – 1/2 cup
3. Onion(chopped) – 2
4. Ginger –Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp
5. Green Chilly – 2
6. Kashmiri Red chilly powder- 2 tsp
7. Turmeric powder – 1tsp
8. Coriander pwoder –1/2 tsp
9. Tomato(chopped) – 1
10. Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
11. Cumin seeds(jeerakam) –1/4 tsp
12. Cloves – 2
13. Bay leaf –1
14. Cinnamon stick – 1/2” piece
15. Cardamom – 2
16. salt
17. Coriander leaves
18. Oil

Preparation

1. Soak soy chunks in warm water for 10 minutes and squeeze out the excess water.
2. Chop cauliflower into florets and immerse in warm water(add a pinch of turmeric to the warm water) for 2-3 minutes to get rid of germs.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds,cloves,bay leaf,cardamom and cinnamon stick.Let it splutter and once the aroma of fried jeera comes,add chopped onions,ginger-garlic paste  and saute till onion turns golden brown
4. Add chopped green chilly,chopped tomatoes to it and once tomatoes are soft,add red chilly powder,pepper powder , turmeric powder and coriander powder.
5. Mix well and once the oil starts to leave the pan,add soy chunks and cauliflower florets.Add salt to it and Stir well.
6. Add 1/2 cup of water to it.Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes till  veggies are cooked well.
7. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
8. Serve with rice or Roti

I am sending this to Veggie/ Fruit a Month Event for September- Cauliflower hosted by Priya and Tiffin Carrier Antiques.