Vazhai Thandu/Banana Tree Stem Kootu

Vazhai Thandu/Banana Tree Stem is very good for health. Its raw juice is good for Kidney stones and for kidney related problems.

Ingredients
Vazhai Thandu/Banana Tree Stem - 1 no
Pasi Paruppu/Moong Dal/Split green gram - 1 cup (soaked in water for 1 hour)
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Green Chilli  3 nos (As per your taste)
Jeera/Cumin Seeds - 1 tspn
Black Peppercons - 4-5 nos(Optional)
Salt
Buttermilk - 1/2 cup
Water as required
A broken Wooden stick piece to stir and remove string like.

Seasoning/Talipu
Coconut Oil or any cooking oil -2 tspns
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Hing/Asafotida - a pinch
Curry leaves - few

Preparation Method
Remove 2-3 layers of the stem or till you get tender stem.
Wash cut Vazhai Thandu into round thin slices, in between you will be getting Naaru/ string like keep removing them.
Cut into small pieces.
In a bowl, add water and butter milk. Add the chopped pieces.
Take the broken wooden stick piece and keep mixing. You will see the naaru/strings coming keep removing them.
The tender ones can be cooked as it is.
In a wide kadai/wok, add the chopped vazhai thandu and paasi paruppu. Add water and cook well.
Grind coconut, jeera and green chilli to fine paste.
Mix it with the cooked vazhai thandu and boil it.
Add salt and season it with the above ingredients.

This is good combination for chapathi or steamed rice.