Vazhaipoo Vadai (deep Fried Dumplings with Banana Blossom Flower)

There  are few vegetables which is customized to suit only adults taste,lol :) Few vegetables which we detested as a child easily becomes our craving as we grow up.I think most of you will agree with me in this :).Vazhaipoo is one such vegetable for me.No matter how much ever I was forced,threatened or bribed with something, I was never even ready to touch it.I always thought it was a clumsy one and how would ever people eat it. Things slowly changed as ever and my mom started making these vadas with vazhaipoo and it soon became our favorite.  

Slowly I also started to appreciate all the other delicacies prepared with this vegetable or flower should I say.The funny thing about me and this flower is once after marriage I got this and was so confused that which part of it was edible :P.I kept on removing the layers till the core and finally called my mom and she busted out of laugh :).
Well that was long before and now I have picked up and make decent tasting items with this. Now coming to these vadas,these fall under the category-masal vadai.These are instant kind which can be made in a short notice of time. The recipe is very simple,Finely chopped vazhaipoo is added to the ground dhal and vadai is made.As in all recipes,in this also there are lots of variations and I am posting the one we make in our home.Please try once and let me know.
Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped vazhaipoo
1 cup channa dhal
1/4 cup toor dal
4 dried red chillies
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
Salt
Oil to deep fry  
Method:
1.Soak both dhals together for 30 minutes.Drain and grind along with salt,chilles and asafoetida.The mixture should be coarse and stiff.Add as little water as possible.The consistency is you should be able to make balls and flat discs with the ground mixture.Please refer picture.
2.Mix the chopped vazhaipoo to the ground dhal and mix well.
3.Heat oil in a deep kadai,Take a lemon sized ball,flatten a little and slide in the hot oil.Cook both sides till they turn golden brown and remove to a tissue paper or a vessel with holes to remove excess oil.
4.Serve hot as snacks with coffee or as a side dish with any kind of rice.
Time:1 hour(including soaking,grinding)
Yield:12-15 vadai
Notes:
1.Instead of asafoetida,in some homes saunf is added as flavoring agent
2.You can add finely chopped onions if needed
2.Add 2 teaspoons rice flour to make vadai extra crispy.