Vazhaipoo Paruppu Usili | Healthy Banana Flower Lentil Stir-fry

“Nutritious, delicious, and packed with flavor — Vazhaipoo Paruppu Usili, the wholesome stir-fry your family will love!”

This traditional Tamil-style dish combines protein-rich lentils with finely chopped banana flower (vazhaipoo). Steamed, spiced, and stir-fried, this usili is packed with fiber, flavor, and the warmth of home-cooked comfort.

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✨ Ingredients

• Chana dal – ¼ cup
• Toor dal – ¼ cup
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Red chilies – 5 to 6
• Banana flower (vazhaipoo) – 1 whole, chopped & squeezed
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – a few
• Asafoetida (hing) – a pinch
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Water – as needed

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🪴 Before You Start

Banana flower contains a sticky sap that can stain your hands and make them itchy.

Tip 1: Apply oil to your hands and knife, or wear gloves.

Tip 2: Keep a bowl of water with a little curd (make like watery butter milk) nearby to soak chopped pieces and prevent discoloration.

✂️ Step-by-Step Chopping

1. Peel Outer Bracts

• Remove the dark purple outer petals (called bracts).

• Inside each petal, you’ll find small pale florets — keep them aside for cleaning.

2. Clean the Florets

• From each floret, remove the hard plastic-like calyx and the stiff matchstick-like style (pistil).

• Discard these parts; they’re tough and fibrous.

3. Continue Peeling

• Keep peeling bracts and cleaning florets until the inner cone turns pale and tender (about baby-pink/cream color).

• You can chop the tender inner cone directly without cleaning.

4. Chop the Florets

• Collect cleaned florets and tender cone.

• Slice thinly using an oiled sharp knife.

5. Soak Immediately

• Drop chopped pieces into the prepared curd/lemon water to prevent darkening and reduce bitterness.

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1 Soak Lentils

1. Soak chana dal, toor dal, and red chilies for 30–45 minutes.

2 Prepare Banana Flower

1. When ready to cook, drain the water completely using a strainer.
2. Clean it in running water to discard the butter milk.
3. Pressure cook with turmeric powder (2 whistles).
4. Drain completely — no moisture should remain.

3 Grind Dal Mixture

1. Add dal along with red chili, hing, and salt to a mixer.
2. Pulse grind to a coarse texture (add a tsp of water only if needed).

4 Steam Cook

1. Place the grounded dal mixture into greased idli plates, spreading evenly. Steam in an idli steamer for 5–7 minutes on medium heat.
2. To check doneness, gently touch the surface — it should feel firm and non-sticky.
3. Once steamed, carefully remove from the idli plates and set aside. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature, then crumble it finely using your fingers.

5 Temper and Cook

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, (optional) urad dal, curry leaves, and hing.
2. Saute for a minute.
3. Add crumbled dal mixture. Stir continuously on low flame for 2 minutes to cook and reduce oil absorption.
4. When the dal starts leaving the sides of the kadai without sticking, add the chopped banana flower.
5. Adjust salt. Mix and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
6. Turn off heat once mixture is soft and blended well.

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🍽️ Serving Suggestions

Serve hot with steamed rice + sambar or rasam
Pair with a light vegetable stir-fry for a balanced meal

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💡 Tips for Perfect Usili

Squeeze banana flower well to remove moisture and bitterness
Stir often while cooking dal to prevent lumps and burning
Cook dal mixture before adding vazhaipoo to reduce oil usage
Adjust chili count based on spice preference

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🌿 Health Benefits

Banana Flower – Rich in fiber, vitamins C & E, antioxidants
Lentils – Great source of plant-based protein, folate, and iron
Helps with digestion, blood sugar control, and immunity

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👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Serves

3–4 people as a side dish

Video Tutorial