Bondi is the Konkani term for ‘Vazha Koombu’ in Malayalam. In English it is called Banana flower. Now this is also side dish prepared along with rice. This is usually prepared at homes and not served for any festivals or other occasions. The method of preparation of sukkaein sukkaein with Bondi is almost similar to other sukkaein I have already mentioned. But the processing of Bondi for the preparation of Bondi sukkaein is a bit complicated and I thought of putting it as a different section.
Bondi (Vazha koombu/Banana flower) sukkaein is really tasty when you use Nendran variety banana bondi, the next postion is for the bondi of ‘Palayankodan’ banana variety and the third position is for the ‘Nanjalipoovan’ Banana variety. The method of preparation of Bondi from all these banana variety is the same the difference in taste is due to the difference in variety of the banana. Bondi from other varities of banana other than those mentioned will become bitter after cooking. So if you are buying bondi from the market after cutting the bondi take a pinch of it and taste and see if you get a bitter taste or after cooking you can check for bitterness. If you find it is bitter then better discard. So I would suggest that those who have plantain at home take bondi directly from the plant.
I have used thuvar dhal in my recipe but there are recipes that use green gram also. But addition of thuvar dhal gives more taste to the dish than the green gram. It is always better to prepare the bondi sukkaein on the same day you cut the bondi. I have tried cutting and keeping the bondi in refrigerator. There was not much variation in the taste. I usually cut it in water and refrigerate in water itself. If I want to prepare the dish the next day morning then I will cut the bondi the previous day night and refrigerate.
Ingredients
You need
- 1 bondi/banana flower/vazha koombu (I have used the ‘Palayankodan’ variety banana bondi)
- 2 to 3 tbspns of lentil or thuvar dhal
- A small lemon size tamarind or darmbya sol (‘Brindle berry) (I usually use tamarind as it gives more taste to the dish than the darmbya sol)
- 3 to 4 tbspns coconut scrapings
- 1 tspn chilli powder (or as per your spiciness level)
- A small spoon turmeric powder
- A small spoon fresh coconut oil
- Salt to taste
For seasoning
- Coconut oil for seasoning
- A small spoon mustard
- A small spoon urd dal
- A very small spoon fenugreek seeds/methi seeds
Method
Preparing the bondi
Before starting to cut the bondi apply oil to your hands or else your fingers will become black and sticky in the end. Keep water ready in a container in which you will be cutting the bondi. This is to reduce browning.
Discard the outer pink coloured layer. Remove the florets below the pink layer if they have not turned black and put in water. You can discard the florets if they have turned black or brown colour. I usually discard the florets in the outermost layers. That is after discarding a few (3 to 4) outer pink layers I start taking the florets from the next layer.
Now before consuming the florets we have to discard the pistil that is a long filament with a small bulb at the tip.
Keep repeating it for the rest of the florets. Put the processed florets in a container with water. This is to avoid browning. Keep them aside.
Now as you continue to remove the outer pink layers you will reach the center of the bondi. You will find a white solid part over there. This portion we have to cut into tiny pieces by a method called a ‘Kothi ariyal’ in Malayalam. In this method you will hit the white solid part with a sharp knife on all sides. See that you have to keep rotating the white solid piece each time you hit it with a knife. This is done so that you get uniform pieces. During ‘Kothi ariyal’ there are chances of the scrapings getting scattered. So you have to keep either a wide mouth vessel or a big plate under the bondi. It is always better if you use a comparatively wide mouth vessel so that the scrapings will fall directly in water. Or if you do not have one use a big plate after a few scrapings have fallen on the plate transfer them to a bowl filled with water. This is to avoid browning.
Now you will notice that as you came down to the centre of the bondi the florets have become smaller and more white. Now you will not be able to remove the pistil from these florets. So you have to cut them using the ‘Kothi ariyal’ method itself.
Now do not forget the florets that you have put in water. Cut them using a chopping board and put in water.
Preparing the Lentil (Thuvar dal)
Soak 2 to 3 tbspn thuvar dal (Lentil) for 15 to 30 mins. Drain the water after the dhal has soaked in water. Now transfer it to the separator of a pressure cooker. You need not add water to the lentil in the separator. I pressure cook it as follows: after one whistle simmer the flame and cook for 3 to 5 min. Then switch off the flame and open the cooker after it has completely cooled down.
The purpose of cooking like this is that the lentil should not be overcooked. You should be able to bite it. You can even cook the dhal in a vessel adding water. But that takes a long time so I have done it in a pressure cooker.
Preparing the sukkaein
Transfer the cut bondi into a wide mouth mixing bowl. Add fresh coconut oil, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coconut scrapings, tamarind,cooked thuvar dal and salt to the cut bondi and mix well. Marinate it for 5 to 10 minutes (I will call this marinate mix) and then do the seasoning.
Heat oil in kadai or pan and add mustard seeds and when they splutter add urd dal and roast it for a second (you will get a rose colour for the dhal), add fenugreek seeds followed by addition of the marinate mix.
Sprinkle only little water (this is optional). (Once the bondi has been cooked add the cooked lentil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.This step you have to do only if you have not added thuvar dal to the marinate mix). Switch off the flame when done.
Your Bondi (Vazha koombu/Banana flower) sukkaein is ready to be served.
Serve with rice.
