Chena Kizhangu fry (Elephant foot yam)

Elephant foot yam is usually used in Avial. A side dish made from the blend of 6-7 vegetables in a coconut based gravy. Sometimes i make this yam fry which is crisp and yummy. This can be served as a starter or even as a side dish.

This yam gives a itchy sensation when cut with bare hands. The best way to cut this vegetable is to ensure your hands and the knife your using is dry as when you touch the water the itching starts. Once your done with cutting it, you can wash your hands in tamarind water.

Ingredients

Elephant foot Yam - 250gms

Tamarind water - 3tsp

Chilli Powder - 11/2tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2tsp

Jeera powder - 1tsp

Salt

Oil - to deep fry

Cooking Method

Cut yam into length wise.

In a mixing bowl add all the spice powders and salt. Mix well.

Add yam pieces into the masala bowl, shake the bowl well so that yam is coated with the spice powder.

Sprinkle tamarind water, and mix well. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the yam pieces on slow flame.

Note : You dont have to add water to the spices as yam tends to give out some moisture and the tamarind water will do the work.

Cooking Time : 15 minutes (Excluding marinations time)

Serves : 2

Poricha Katharika (Deep fried brinjal)

There are few vegetables I pick almost on every other visit to the market and brinjal is one of them. There are a million ways to cook this humble vegetable, Brinjal fry is one of the regulars in the kitchen. Poricha Kathrika goes very well with curd rice or even with rice and dal.

Ingredients

Big Brinjal - 1

Chilli Powder - 2tsp

Coriander Powder - 2tsp

Jeera Powder - 1tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2tsp

Lime juice/ vinegar - 3tsp

Salt

Cooking Method

Mix all spice powders with salt and vinegar along with some water to make it into a smooth paste.

Cut the brinjal into thin slices.

Apply the masala on the slices. Leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in pan and semi-deep fry the slices till crisp and done.

Note : You can use the masala powder of stuffed brinjal or Fish fry masala to apply on the slices.

Cooking Time : 15 min (Excluding marination time)

Serves : 3-4

         

Roast Potatoes

This week the queen of farmer's market was baby potatoes... there were heaps of them and i just walked past them as i didn have any specific recipe for them... then i remembered eating in a hotels buffet, roasted potatoes as starters... I wanted to recreate this in my kitchen and I picked up some of these little beauites and it indeed was a big hit. Its a easy and an extremely delicious dish.

Ingredients

Baby Potatoes - 1/2 kg

Chilli Powder - 1tsp

Coriander Powder - 1tsp

Jeera Powder - 1tsp

Turmeric - 1/4tsp

Salt

Oil or ghee

Cooking Method

Peel the potatoes and poke it with a fork in atleast 2-3 places.

Heat kadai, add oil, Once the oil warms a bit. Switch off the stove.

Add all the spice powders with salt. Add the potatoes, toss it well.

Cover and cook on slow flame till potatoes are well cooked.

Roast well till done.

Serve as a starter.

Note : Use ghee instead of oil to enhance the flavour and taste.

Cooking Time : 20min

Serves : 3-4