Aava Kuralu - 2 (Vegetables with mustard)

Any of the following vegetables:

Banana Blossom, Banana Stem

Banana Blossom: Separate the flowerets from the shells. Remove thick fiber from EACH of the floweret. (Stop right here if you cannot identify and remove the thick fiber.) Chop finely with a fine knife or food processor.

Banana Stem

Cut the stem into thin discs. Stack 10-12 discs and cut them finely in a way that you can remove the think hairy fiber. (Stop right here if you cannot remove the fiber.)

Soak the finely chopped vegetables in salted, sour buttermilk for an hour. Wash thoroughly and drain.

Estimate about 3 cups of cooked vegetables for the paste mentioned below.

Paste:

Soak 1 Tsp water: 1 tsp mustard seeds and 1 tsp raw rice (OR 2 red chilies)
1 Tsp grated coconut
½ inch piece of ginger (optional)
Grind all of the above in 1-2 Tsp water to a fine paste, add 1 tsp sesame seed oil and set aside. It will turn bitter otherwise.

Garnish
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 Tsp chana dal
1 Tsp urad dal
2-3 red chilies
1-3 cut green chilies
1 sprig curry leaves

Salt to taste

Cook cut vegetables, 2 Tsp thick imli juice and ¼ tsp turmeric in ½ a cup of salted water till soft but firm and in tact.
Heat 1 tsp oil. When the oil is hot, add the spices in the following order, 10-15 seconds apart:
mustard seeds
chana dal
urad dal
red chilies
cut green chilies
1 sprig curry leaves

Add cooked vegetables and toss.
Add mustard paste and turn off heat. If electric stove, remove pot from heat.