Banana Flower Vada

Highlights:
Mocha is the Bengali name of “banana blossom”.
Yummy Banana flower cutlet is good for evening snacks lunch box or picnic snack, otherwise as you wish, for tea time or any time for children as well as for adult. Vazhakoombu Cutlet is a quick, spicy, tempting and delicious evening snack that can be prepared very easily. Cutlets can be used as starters for a main course of meal.

This cutlet is very good for kids because its nutrition value is high.

Special Tips:
Banana flowers:Banana Blossom/flower/ Kelekephool/ Vazhakoombu (malayalam) is excellent food, rich in many nutrients and iron. It is a super food for women, especially for nourishing mother.

1. Banana flowers are high in vitamins A and C and have modest amounts of calcium, folate zinc and ironwhich can prevent anemia.  As well as a good source of fiber and protein.
2. Bananas flowers contain ethanol, which is known to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria. The content of banana flower is also able to heal the wound.
3. Good for Diabetic patients. Eating boiled Banana flowers alone could lower blood sugar levels very well and increase levels of haemoglobin in the body.
4. They are natural antidepressants. Since these flowers are loaded with magnesium, they can improve your mood and bring down your stress levels.
5. Banana flowers are especially good for women as it keeps the uterus healthy as it helps in maintaining pregnancy, menstrual problems & weight loss.
6. Good for patients having PCOS& uterus related problems.
7. Flowers are amazing for lactating mothers as it helps increase the breast milk supply. As you can see banana flowers are a real boon to women of all ages: it treats excessive bleeding, keeps the uterus healthy, prevents constipation during pregnancy and improves lactation.
8. They are loaded with antioxidants that fight free radicals.
9. They are light on the system and treat a number of digestive problems such as abdominal pain and bloating caused by acidity &keep infections at bay.
10. These flowers are known to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

Nutritive value:

Method:
Cleaning and chopping the banana flower:

1. Before you start,rub oil on your hands.
2. Open each petal and remove the florets.
3. Take each flower and separate the parts.
4. Dispose these 2 parts and collect the rest.
5. In the center you will find a cone shaped part which can be had raw or chopped together with the florets.
6. As you go towards the internal part there will be no need to dispose these 2 parts as they will be very tender.
7. Bunch the florets and chop it finely, immediately put in water to avoid blackness.
8. Now boil chopped banana flower with salt and turmeric powder until soft. I pressure cooked over medium heat until 2-3 whistles and let it cool. Squeeze out extra water if required.

Making of vada’s/ cutlet

1. Clean,wash and soak the chana dal for 3 to 4 hrs.
2. Drain the excess water and grind it with green chilli, garlic to form little coarse paste.
3. Add grated ginger & all ingredients to chana dal paste. Now add mashed potato and cooked flowers. Mix it well with hands.
4. You can also saute onion, chopped banana flowers, potato and dal paste to get dough like consistency to form set cutlets.
5. Make 12 balls out of the cutlet mix and shape it into oval, round or your own desired shape.
6. Heat enough oil for deep frying. Fry until crisp reddish-brown in colour.
7. Add them to the hot oil and deep fry until dark, golden brown.
8. Remove and drain excess oil on absorbent paper
9. Serve hot with ketchup or mint chutney.

Note

1. You can add boiled moong or (sprouts / minced chicken or prawns or beef or mutton / scrambled egg / minced soya chunks / crushed paneer / chopped vegetables etc. along with phool to give different version of cutlet.
2. Also, traditionally it is shallow fried instead of grilling. You can also make it in a non-stick pan, using very little oil, as in grilling or even air fry it.