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A Spicy Curry

Elephant foot yam is a good source of calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, copper, and other minerals. The yam also contains diosgenin, a molecular hormone that is believed to have potential cancer-fighting properties.

This curried side dish, consisting primarily of elephant yam and chickpeas. is a rare delicacy. Though this yam is a superfood, it does not appear in many recipes because the tuber is somewhat rare. It is also somewhat starchy and heavy on the stomach.

Serve this curry with plain, cooked rice or curd rice.

Note: Follow the instructions carefully to prevent the mild, itchy feeling on the tongue that sometimes follows the consumption of this dish.

Cook Time

Ingredients

• 1 big bowl elephant foot yam (suran gadde), peeled and chopped into cubes
• 1 cup black chickpeas (kala chana), soaked in water for 8 hours
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1 small, lemon-sized tamarind, soaked in water for 20 minutes
• 1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 5-6 dry red chilies, broken
• 8 curry leaves
• 2 tsp cooking oil, preferably coconut oil
• 1 tsp jaggery powder
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp white lentils (urad dal)

Instructions

1. Remove and discard the yam's outer skin. Chop the flesh into half-inch cubes. Put them in a steel container. Add some diluted tamarind water and salt. Add some soaked black chickpeas (optional). The water level should be about 1/2 an inch above the level of contents in the container.
2. Cook the mixture in a pressure cooker up to 2 whistles and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the stove. Once the pressure releases naturally, take the container out from the cooker. Strain the excess water from it.
3. Dry-grind grated coconut, mustard seeds, and red chilies. Set aside. This is the spice mix for this curry.
4. Heat a deep-bottomed pan. Add mustard seeds, white lentils, and curry leaves. Let mustard crackle. At the same time, the lentils should become golden. Add cooked yam and chickpea mix.
5. Add salt, tamarind pulp, turmeric powder, and powdered jaggery. Gently combine.
6. Add ground spice mix. Stir-cook over very low fire for 1 minute. Turn off the stove.
7. Serve with plain rice, curd rice, pancakes, roti, etc.

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