Vazhaithandu Poricha Kootu, a typical dish from the Tamil Cuisine, is an easy side dish made for meals and served with rice.
The Poricha Kootu concept is more of a TamBrahm cuisine. They season the gravy with peppercorn, with ground masala, and uses different water vegetables. I share my lunch with my colleagues and always look forward to different cuisines landing on my plate.
So this dish is from my colleague and it's mostly chow chow, bottle gourd and few other vegetables used. I love the curry taste and wanted to recreate it at home with the banana stem. Sadly the day I decided to make it, I forgot the recipe, and part of this recipe is my own take of it.
The dish did end up being very tasty and we all enjoyed it. When I narrated how I made it, I was told they don't add onions or tomatoes and mostly more pepper. I said whatever the recipe naturally had to evolve and that's what I was going to call it.
If you are looking for a hearty wholesome dish to be served with rice, this would surely be it. The dish is quite easy to make unless you take the cleaning and chopping of banana stem. If you are using other vegetables, it's very easy to make.
This is part of the theme Meal Time Dishes, under BM#95, Week 2. Hope all the dishes were enjoyed! I had Aratikaya Masala Vepudu, Chow Chow Mor Kuzhambu and these surely make delicious lunchtime dishes, served with rice.
Step by Step for making Vazhaithandu Poricha Kootu
Vazhaithandu Poricha Kootu
How to make Vazhaithandu Poricha Kootu
Peel and chop the Banana Stem into 1/4 inch pieces, and soak in buttermilk until you are going to use it.
Wash and take the dals in a pressure cooker along with turmeric powder and cook for 3 whistles.
Once the pressure falls down, drain the stem from the buttermilk and add the pan along with onions and tomatoes.
Add enough water and pressure cook again for a couple of whistles.
For the Masala paste
Take the ingredients listed for masala and grind to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
Making the Gravy
When the pressure falls down, add this ground masala to it and bring it to a boil.
Simmer till the gravy is well cooked and done, this takes about 5 to 7 mins.
Heat a pan with oil, temper with mustard and curry leaves. Add hing.
Pour this into the simmering gravy. Cook for another 5 mins.
Serve with rice and veggies.
Vazhaithandu Poricha Kootu
Ingredients
For the Dal
- 3/4 cup Toor Dal
- 1/4 cup Chana Dal
- A Pinch Turmeric Powder
- 2 cups Banana Stem
- 1 small Tomato
- 1/4 cup Onion
For the Masala Paste
- 5 to 6 Dry Red Chilies
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Pepper Corn
- 3 tbsp Coconut
For Tempering
- 2 tsp Cooking Oil
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
- Handful Curry Leaves
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
Instructions
Boiling the Dal
- Peel and chop the Banana Stem into 1/4 inch pieces, and soak in buttermilk until you are going to use it.
- Wash and take the dals in a pressure cooker along with turmeric powder and cook for 3 whistles.
- Once the pressure falls down, drain the stem from the buttermilk and add the pan along with onions and tomatoes.
- Add enough water and pressure cook again for a couple of whistles.
For the Masala paste
- Take the ingredients listed for masala and grind to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
Making the Gravy
- When the pressure falls down, add this ground masala to it and bring to a boil.
- Simmer till the gravy is well cooked and done, this takes about 5 to 7 mins.
- Heat a pan with oil, temper with mustard and curry leaves. Add hing.
- Pour this to the simmering gravy. Cook for another 5 mins.
- Serve with Rice and veggies.
This Poricha Chow Chow Sundal Kootu is yet another delicious side dish you serve with rice.
usha says
All that matters is the taste and a bonus is, one more recipe to blog 🙂 . Hope you will blog the original recipe as well when you make it.
Priya Suresh says
The masala paste went into this kootu will definitely makes this kootu more flavourful and delicious to have without any hesitation. My kind of dish.
harini says
Good one. I have never cooked anything with banana stem 🙂
FoodTrails says
This is an interesting version of dal.. a sure it is rich in flavours with so many good and flavourful ingredients!! It's new but dish for me!!
Suma Gandlur says
Valli, I am going to try this. Does this dish has a medley of vegetables or made with a singe vegetable from that list you mentioned?
Srivalli says
I have only seen this version being made with one vegetable. However, you can always try using more if you want Suma..:)
gayathriraani says
We make a kootu similarly but the coconut is added directly. Using it in paste would make the kootu creamier and the addition of pepper would make it nice and spicy.
srividhya says
Valli, this is what my mom taught me - poricha kootu we fry and grind the ingredients for the masala and it include urad dal and pepper corns. Whereas for normal kootu we just grind cumin + coconut + dry/green chillies. For poricha kootu, we roast urad dal, red chilies, coconut, cumin and pepper corns. That's it. Pudlangai poricha kootu with channa dal is pretty famous but again there are so many versions. Love this kootu of yours. As long as family likes it nothing else matters. 🙂
Simply Tadka says
Wow.. very interesting and healthy recipe.. never tried and use banana stem.
Veena Krishnakumar says
I make this type of kootu with cabbage and thta reminds me that it is not yet on the blog, Looks very delicious valli
code2cook says
love this dal recipe. I have never added coconut in dal's tempering. but looks tempting with rice.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
This is just so delicious. Vazhaithandu is one vegetable I miss so much as we don't get it here.