Creating a blog was out of the question for a long time for me, as measuring everything in the kitchen was like biting into an eggshell. I enjoy cooking and don’t want to waste even a slightest bit of enjoyment in that small world of mine. But little did I know that everything will change, when my husband came home with the Oscar nominated film ‘Julie and Julia’( a real life story) where Julie Powell (part played by Amy Adams) challenged herself to make all the 524 recipes from Julia Child's cook book ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ and blogging all her experiences (The Julie/Julia Project). It was an inspiring movie. A few days later when we were discussing this casually with a friend of ours over tea…everything changed dramatically…..” How about you making at least half of it in one year? Not French but your own. 262 recipes that will inspire others and present it as a blog?” For a minute my mind traveled faster than light… With an experience as a helper in my mother in laws kitchen for 6 years followed by a three year everyday struggle to satisfy the palate of my foodie husband, if I cannot do it then why should I cook? But on the other side with an experience in English literature extending no more than expanding outline stories in English grammar class when I was 18 and two small kids that come in handy at times, will a commitment for the next one year work? Anyway my ‘cook's ego’ didn’t allow me to say no...

So my friends …here I am opening my recipe book, trying to perfect and present 262 recipes in the coming 365 days….A Challenge that will of course tastes good. Come.. Have a walk with me along my journey.. Cheering and inspiring….Forgiving and tolerating…Testing and tasting….for ‘A Tasty Challenge’

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Friday, March 18, 2011

Koombu/ Vazhachundu/ Banana Blossom Cutlet

Recipe No: 221
This is a very simple basic recipe for a Cutlet using Banana Blossom. I have special interest in this as I can make my kids eat it without much fuss.
Ingredients                                          Makes 12 - 15
  • Banana Blossom cubed………….2 ½ Cups (big pieces; 1 medium sized Banana Blossom)
  • Oil............................................2 Tablespoons
  • Onion chopped………………….….1 ¼ Cups
  • Ginger ..............………………….…2 medium sized pieces
  • Garlic………………………………..…8 big cloves
  • Indian Green Chilly……….……..4 big
  • Garam Masala Powder….……..1/2 Teaspoon
  • Pepper Powder………………….….1/2 Teaspoon
  • Coriander Leaves chopped…….2 Tablespoons
  • Potato cooked...……………………1 big (1 ¼ cups mashed)
  • Egg………………………….………….1 big (Beat with 1 tablespoon Water)
  • Bread Crumbs………………………1/2 Cup
  • Salt as needed
  • Oil for deep frying
Method of Preparation
  1. Chop the Banana Blossom thoroughly in a food processor and keep it aside till ready to be used.
  2. Chop finely Onion, Ginger, Garlic and Green Chilly together in the food processor.
  3. Heat a tablespoon of Oil in a pan on medium high heat and saute the Onion mixture together with Salt, till it starts to brown.
  4. Add the chopped Banana Blossom; stir thoroughly; close the pan; reduce the heat and let it cook for 5-8 minutes.
  5. Once cooked, add Garam Masala Powder, Pepper Powder and Coriander Leaves; mix thoroughly and switch off the heat.
  6. Mix in the cooked and mashed Potato to the Blossom mixture. Check the Salt level and add if needed.
  7. Divide the mixture into 12-15 portions and make patties/ Cutlets.
  8. Dip each Cutlet in the beaten Egg and roll in the Bread crumbs. Keep it aside till ready to be fried.
  9. Heat at least an inch of Oil in a pan on medium high heat and deep fry the Cutlets till golden brown on both sides. Serve hot.
Notes:
  • If you are buying Banana Blossom, please do remove some of the loose outer bracts/ leaves.
  • If you don’t have a chopper/ food processor, chop the Banana Blossom finely by hand.
  • Please remove the stem like part at the middle of the Banana Blossom while chopping.
  • After chopping the Banana Blossom, you may find some string like things which are basically the sticky sap oozing out. Use a rod coated with Oil to stir the chopped Blossom with a circular motion so that the strings of sap will wind around the rod. Get rid of this before using the chopped Banana Blossom. If you are using a chopper this will be considerably reduced.
  • The sticky sap oozing out of the blossom may stain your hands. So please do rub your hands with Oil to avoid the stain before working with it.
  • The Cutlets should be immersed in Oil while frying. If you use less Oil the temperature of the Oil will drop once you put the Cutlets which results in over absorption of Oil by the Cutlets.
  • If in any case Oil is only coming up to the sides of the Cutlets, then temperature will increase in the portion of the Cutlet lying in the Oil. This will cause cracks in between these two portions, lying above and below the  Oil. So a way to avoid this is to turn the Cutlet over after 30 seconds of putting it in hot Oil, so that the temperature will be even on both sides.






Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and
serve it to your family with love…

9 comments:

Padhu Sankar said...

Yummy cutlets

Umm Mymoonah said...

Hmmm, yummy. Perfect and healthy snack.

Reshmi Mahesh said...

Perfect cutlets...great with tea...

FunWidFud

Vimitha Durai said...

Yummy and healthy cutlets...

Raga said...

Asha....Where did u get Bannana Blossom? I never thought we will find it here.
Very good recipe....Cutlets were looking perfect..When I try Cutlet, most of the bread crumbs fallout in oil....How to get rid of this?

Asha said...

Hai... Raga.. I LA I know Valley Produce has it most of the time..

Lifewithspices said...

Perfect ones i hv made vada with this will try out ..

sojo said...

I love koomb in any form!!! and sadly, dont get it here.... so whattado...just stare at ur pics and wish for the 100th time that u were my neighbour!!!!

ben-rob said...

Thanks a lot Asha , this is how my dad used to make cutlets with the koomb . It reminds me of beef cutlet because of the taste .

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