Did you know that a Banana tree is not a tree technically ????...A banana tree is actually a perennial herb and what appears to be the trunk is actually a ,"False stem"- they are nothing but leaves twisting and turning around each other to form a stem that can be approx 12 inches thick and can grow up to 40 feet tall.
Whoaa!..Then that should be one heck of a herb !! Anyways,thanks Wiki for enriching my G.K. !!
In my native place,Kerala, which is a hub of coconut trees swaying in every nook and corner ,if there is any other tree that can be deemed as the tough competitor to those coconut trees,then I believe it should be the "Banana trees...errr...Banana herb/plant".
The leaves are used as a wrapper to make many one-of-a-kind dishes ; During olden days people used to even wrap their entire food in those leaves instead of a tiffin box and it just made the food taste more flavorful....The stems were used in making many recipes as well,the fruits -Green or Yellow Banana were used to eat simply or as any other recipes ,similarly ,the heart of Banana,the Banana flowers are also used for making many homely yet tasty dishes...
Not only that,just like any other herbs or vegetables they are loaded with many vitamins ,minerals,fibers and protein and render lots of health benefits :
DID YOU KNOW ?
(Credit :Livingstrong.com and Stylecraze.com)
- Banana Flowers can lower especially -Diabetes,Cholesterol,Blood Pressure,Infections,Anemia.
- Banana Blossoms are anti-inflammatory,anti-depressants,anti-aging and anti-cancer .
- Banana Blossoms are a superfood for women especially - it helps in keeping the uterus healthy,managing the PCOS(Polycycstic Ovarian Syndrome) ,irregular menses and according to HimalayanHomeRemedies.com,one cooked banana flower + 1 cup yogurt/curd can reduce the heavy menstruation by increasing the level of progesterone hormone .They also increase the milk production in lactating mothers.
Now ,once you know how to cut the Banana Blossom,it is very easy to make any recipe .So,I am gonna share how to make a Vazha Koombu thoran/Banana Blossom recipe ,a stir fry with coconut lentil and mild spices .It is very easy ,tasty and more healthy.
So,please watch the video below which has the recipe in it,so lazy me is not gonna write it again here .So,this is how I make a Vazha koombu thoran /Vazhachundu thoran/ Naadan Kudappan thoran Kerala style recipe at home...
Undoubtedly,a Banana plant deserves to be worshipped ,an unconditional provider for overall consumption and a treasure house of health benefits it is ...
Banana Plant ki Jai hoooo...
P.S.: Two ways to make Banana stem/Vazha pindi thoran