24 Jul 2015

How to clean Vazhaipoo (Plantain Flower)

Vazhaipoo called as Banana Flower or Plantain Flower tastes great when made as a curry or vadai but for me the most annoying part is cleaning the flower! The florets have to be cleaned thoroughly before using them. It's actually a simple process but cleaning the entire bunch of florets is not appealing to me all the time!! 


how to clean vazhaipoo


HOW TO CLEAN VAZHAIPOO
Time - 30 mins

What you will need
  • Vazhaipoo 
  • Oil or gloves
  • Chopping board
  • Knife
how to clean vazhaipoo


Method
1. Apply oil on your hands before starting to clean the vazhaipoo.
2. Start by removing the purplish - maroonish petals, one by one. 



3. When you remove one petal, you will see a bunch of florets, remove the bunch.
4. Remove the next petal and take the next bunch of florets. 



5. Do this till the banana flower becomes small then you can directly cut it.
6. Take each floret and remove the stamen and it's tiny covering as shown in the pic. The remaining flower can be used in cooking.



7. Once you remove the stamen and covering, chop the flower as desired and soak in diluted buttermilk. This will prevent the flowers from changing colour.

Use as desired.


how to clean vazhaipoo


Notes
1. You can chop the florets as and when you remove each bunch instead of waiting to finish the entire vazhaipoo. This will prevent the florets from changing colour.
2. You can clean the florets the previous night and store in airtight box or ziploc bag and chop them up in the morning to use in a dish.
3. Or you can chop and put in buttermilk and refrigerate and use the next day. I chop only on the day of cooking.
4. Once the flower is cleaned, use it within a day. Do not store for long.
5. Use gloves (if you have) or oil your hands well as cleaning the banana flower will make your fingers black.
6. To make buttermilk (to soak the florets) - dilute curd with water and use.




Until next time,
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3 comments:

  1. Done this before. Quite a tedious thing but all worth for the flowers are lovable when stir fried.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The taste is yumm but quite a tedious process.. My Mom always cleans it ..lol..useful post dear

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love vazhaipoo any time, useful post

    ReplyDelete

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