Banana Stem Juice

Ingredients

• 2 (approx. 200 g) banana stems
• 1"-piece ginger, peeled, chopped
• ¼ cup curd
• 6-8 curry leaves
• 2-3 coriander leaves, fresh, chopped
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Remove the outer layer of the banana stem up to the core, where there are no more layers to remove. Finely chop the inner part, simultaneously removing the hanging fibres. As you cut the inner stem into pieces, put the cut pieces into water diluted with buttermilk - or in water mixed with lime juice - to ensure that the pieces do not change colour. (If they are cut and kept separately, they turn brown in colour.)
2. Put the banana stem pieces and ginger in a blender.
3. Add the curd, curry leaves, and salt. Blend well together. Add about 4 cups of water and blend again until smooth.
4. Pass the contents through a strainer.
5. Pour the juice into glasses and serve garnished with coriander leaves, either at room temperature or chilled.

Source note: Adapted from Isha Foundation’s A Taste of Well-Being (Harper Element, 2016).