Banana stem cowpeas stir-fry is packed with fiber and protein. This sidedish can be prepared for lunch or you can wrap it inside the roti for dinner. Cowpeas are easy to prepare and provide far more nutrition than many other legumes. One of the biggest problem in weight loss is over eating on cheat days or snacking between the meals. With the high fiber diet you can achieve your weight loss goal much quicker. Banana stem cowpeas stir-fry will make you feel full for longer period. Cow pea comes in different colours but for making this dish we usually use brown coloured one. They are also called as black eyed peas. Cowpea is mainly used in salads, gravies, as stir-fry for offering to God on festival or auspicious days and also in soups.
How to clean or prepare banana stem for cooking:
Banana stem should be a tender one. Remove the outer peel and the shiny skin too. Cut it round, chop and immerse in a bowl of buttermilk to avoid discolouration. (If you don’t have butter milk, in a bowl of water, add 2 tbsp curd or yogurt and mix. )After immersing the chopped stem in buttermilk bowl, take a curry leaves stick or a sharp tapering knife and stir it in the bowl randomly. The excess fiber get tangled to the stick. You can remove them and again dip, stir the stick inside the bowl. Repeat this process until the thread sort of it is removed. Now the stem is ready to cook.
PREP TIME : 20 minutes
COOK TIME : 15 minutes
CUISINE : south Indian
COURSE : sidedish
YIELD : 4 servings
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED :
Cow peas – 1/2 cup
Banana stem – 1piece
Curd – 2 tbsp
Sesame oil – 3tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
Channa dal – 1/2 tsp
Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
Green chillies – 2 slit
Red chillies – 2 slit
Sprigs of curry leaves
Big onion chopped – 1 no.
Coconut scrapped – 3 tsp
Salt as required
METHOD :
Soak 1/2 cup cowpeas overnight and cook for 2 to 3 whistles with the water used for soaking.
Remove the banana stem peel, cut it round, chop them into cubes.
Immerse the chopped banana stem in buttermilk or in plain water with 2 tbsp curd mixed in it. To avoid discolouration.
Remove the excess fiber using curry leaves stick or knife as mentioned above.
Heat oil in a pan, temper mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal and curry leaves.
Saute 2 green chillies, 2 red chillies (deseeded chillies) and 1 chopped onions.
Now strain the banana stem and add them. Next comes the cooked cowpeas with the water in it.
Add enough salt and close the lid. Donot add excess water. In simmer, let banana stem cook in the cowpeas water.
When the stem is cooked and water is fully evaporated, finally add 3tsp coconut scrapping and mix well .
Banana stem cowpeas stir-fry is done.
Serve the banana stem cowpeas stir-fry with rice and sambar for lunch.
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