Senai Mixture Curry

Senai Mixture Curry - Elephant foot Yam or jimikand or Senai Kizhangu  as it is called in tamil is a versatile, healthy tuber variety use in gravies, thogayals, kootu, dry curry, vada. Among the starchy vegetables, yam and elephant foot yam can be consumed by the people of all ages, in moderate quantities. Elephant foot yam is widely used in kerala cuisine, This is a dry - curry in which vegetable is sauteed along with spice powders, gram dal and peanuts. The original version is a deep - fried one but i preferred to saute as it consumes less oil. I've also given the deep fry method . Scroll down below to find the same.

Ingredients list: 

Elephant Foot Yam - Select older ones which  are light brown in colour inside.  New ones may cause itching.  

How to identify new ones?

They are slightly reddish inside and moist. 

What should be done if I get new ones?

Simple. Keep them outside for a day or two or in the fridge for a week and then use.

Salt - White crystal salt and fine pink salt are used. You may use fine sea salt for the entire process.

Hing - Powdered hing is used.

Herbs - Curry leaves are used.

Seeds - Mustard seeds are used.

Oil - Groundnut oil is used. You can use any oil.

Lentils - Split urad dal, chana dal, Fried gram dal is used.

Nuts - Peanuts are used.

Spice powders - Red chilli powder, turmeric powder are used.

Method:

• Chop the veggie.
• Boil
• Saute with spice powders or deep fry.
• Toss with nuts.

Suggested Serving:

Goes well with rice varieties.

Storage:

This curry can be refrigerated.

Reheat:

Take out the curry , saute in a kadai or fry - pan by adding a tsp of oil and then serve.

Variation:

• Fry a few cloves of garlic along with fried gram and peanuts.

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Senai Puli Vadakkal

Equipment Used: Sauce -pan, kadai/fry-pan

Recipe:

Total Time Taken - 20 minutes.

No. of servings - 4

Ingredients:

Oil - 2/3 tbsp

Senai kizhangu - 1/2 kg

Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Hing - 1/2 tsp

Tempering:

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp 

Chana dal - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig.

Asafoetida/hing -  1/4 tsp

Salt to taste:

Directions:

1. Chop the vegetable into small square pieces. Take a sauce- pan , fill 3/4 with water.

2. Add turmeric powder and salt. Allow the water in the pan to come to a rolling boil.

3. Add the yam pieces. Allow to get boiled for 2/3 minutes.

4. Drain the water. 

5. Heat a fry-pan/kadai, add oil, when it gets heated up, add mustard, when it begins to  crackle, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves and hing.

6. When dals become golden, add boiled yam pieces. 

7. Add the turmeric powder, salt. Saute till yam becomes tender.

8. Add red chilli powder. Close the pan with the lid, cook till yam becomes soft and crisp

9. Transfer the yam to a plate. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the same kadai/ or in a seasoning pan, add peanuts and fried gram dal. Fry till crisp.

10. Add to the yam mixture , toss well and serve.

Deep - Fry Method:

1. Follow the steps from 1 to 4.

2. Heat oil in a kadai enough to deep fry, Add yam pieces in stages and deep fry till golden. Transfer to a bowl.

3. In the same kadai, add peanuts, fry till crisp and the fried gram, curry leaves fry till golden. Add to yam pieces.

4. Now mix powdered salt, hing, red chilli powder to the fried yam and toss well.

Note:

• Putting yam pieces in boiling water for 2/ 3 minutes, helps them to remain soft inside and crispy outside.

Recipe Source: Kalaichelvi Chockalingam