Banana flower vada (fritters)

Ingredients

Channa dal -1 cup
Garlic –  3 pods
Ginger – small one (tspn)
Green chillies  – 4
Red chillies – 4
Salt  – 1 tspn
Sompu  -1/2 tspn
Curry leaves – 4
coriander leaves chopped – 1 tbspn
Finely chopped onions 2
Banana flower -1

Procedure:

Soak channa dal in water for one hour.

Banana flower Peeling process:

1. Apply little oil to hands. Slowly remove the florets from the flower. peel off each leaf enclosed and remove the florets till a small cone shaped structure is remaining.
2. Rub each floret and  remove the stamen which is a small bulge on a thin string. This is very bitter and cannot be eaten.
3. Remove a transluscent petal from the floret. Some people add it and some remove.Ive decided to remove it.
4. Repeat the same for all the florets.
5. Now the banana flower is edible. chop them into small pieces to add to vada.

In a food processor mix ginger garlic and make a paste .No need to peel garlic.
If you wanted to add cashewnuts you can add along with ginger garlic paste.
Strain the water from channa dal.
Add channa dal, red chillies, salt and grind into a paste. Before grinding keep some channa dal aside add it at the end and mix for less time. This will make the vada crispy with dal pieces.
Add onions , green chillies , curry leaves, coriander leaves ,ginger garlic paste ,sombu and banana flower to the dal mixture.
Make small discs of it and keep aside.
Take a wok and add oil. Once oil is heated deep fry the discs till golden brown.

Can be had with chutney or any pickle