VAZHAKAI PODIMAS

Today afternoon I prepared  Vazhakai podimas as side dish for vendakai puli kulambu. Before marriage I never heard the term Vazhakai Podimas. I never tasted it too. After marriage one day mother in law suggested to add Vazhakai podimas in the menu for lunch. I wondered, we can make podimas with potato. It used to be very tasty, but how Vazhakai taste good when prepared as podimas. So I told, can prepare some other side dish, but she told it is famous chettinadu side dish, it used to be very tasty. But my mind not convinced. She prepared Vazhakai podimas for lunch. When i tasted it, felt so surprise. It is excellent. Slight difference between vazhakai poriyal and podimas. Podimas tastes better than pooriyal. So I shared the preparation method here.

Ingredients 

Raw banana                 - 2

Onion                          - 1

Green Chillies              - 2

Red Chillies                 - 1

Coconut scrapped       - 2 

Roasted peanuts          - 10

Mustard seeds             - 1 tsp

Broken Urad dhal         - 1 tsp 

Oil                               - 1 tbs

METHOD

1. Cut the raw bananas into 2 big pieces with the skin.
2. In a deep vessel add enough water and boil the banana till just done.
3. 
   
   
4. Do not overcook . Cook until the peel comes of easily.
5. Allow to cool and remove the skin and grate.
6. Heat a Kadai with oil, add mustard seeds once it starts spluttering add urad dal then add red chilies and green chillies , roastd peanuts,Fry for two minutes. Next add curry leaves . Then add finely chopped onions  and fry till onion turns pink and the grated raw bananas.
7. Add salt to taste and mix well.
8. Let this fry on low heat for 5 to 8 minutes. Stir now and then.
9. Then add grated coconut
10. Mix everything well for one to two minutes. Remove from heat.
11. Serve hot with a plain rice, pulikulambu or sambar.
12. Can add two drops of lemon juice before removing from heat. (Optional)