thecookscottage

Stuffed Bitter Gourd- Karela Sabzi a la Asha

In Bombay recently I visited an old friend where I was lucky enough to catch Asha cooking lunch.
It is a pleasure to watch her cook, very calm and collected and precise. Without making a mess in a four foot area for preparation and cooking ,she  produced three dishes in precisely half an hour. They were all simple recipes, without chilli and just delicious with red rice and a glass of buttermilk.

Ingredients:
6 small karelas/ bitter gourd
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp amchur / raw mango powder
1 tsp jeera powder/ cumin
1 tsp dhania powder/ coriander
1/4 tsp haldi / turmeric
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Water

Wash the karela well and grate the peel down. Add the salt, mango powder/amchur, the cumin and coriander powder and haldi / turmeric  and mix with the grated peel. Slit each karela down the side and scoop out the flesh and seeds. Mix with the grated peels and spices.Stuff each karela with the mix.
Heat a  3 litre pressure cooker and add  the oil.When hot fry the karela in the oil for a few minutes. Add one and a half cups water and shut the pressure cooker putting on the weight.Let it cook for three whistles then turn fire to low and cook for another 5-8 minutes. Take the cooker off the fire and check if cooked/. If there is too much water cook until the water evaporates.

Hara Kanda Bhaji-Spring Onion, Scallion or Green Onion Vegetable

I like spring onions in many dishes. They are almost always part of my salads. They also makes a delicious cooked vegetable. Spring onions are the shoots that grow from the onion bulb. Look for light and bright green leaves which are fresh, not limp. The onions at the root should be quite small. They have a flavour much like chives but a lot stronger.This is one of those super fast recipes to keep at hand .

Ingredients

1 bunch of Spring onions. Wash well and chop into 1/2 inch bits. Makes about 4 cups of greens.
2 tbsp. Vegetable oil
1 tsp. methi / fenugreek seeds
3 green chillies finely chopped
1/2 tsp. hing / asafetoeda
3 tbsp. besan atta / bengal gram flour
Salt
Marble size piece of gur/ jaggery or 1 tsp sugar

Heat the oil in a kadhai or heavy pan. Add the methi seeds and green chillies and saute for a few seconds till the seeds splutter. Add the spring onions the salt and gur and stir well before covering tightly and cooking on a low fire till done. About 7 minutes. Move the greens to the side and let the water evaporate on high heat. Now add the besan sprinkling it over the greens a spoon at a time taking care to see that they do not form lumps . Stir well and add more besan till the greens are lightly coated with the gram flour.Cover and cook till the gram flour smells done, not raw. This takes about 7 minutes when stirred well from time to time.. Do not let it stick to the pan.Serve hot with chapathi or rice. Believe me it tastes delicious.

Brinjal Pasty Vegetable- Vankaya Muddha Koora

Today we had Brinjal Pasty Vegetable for lunch. The name of the dish doesn't do the preparation justice. It was delectable. With mashed brinjal, black eyed beans and toasted urad dal, the textures were amazing. The beans had some bite and the dal was crunchy. This,through the soft aubergine, made for a mouthful of an experience. And the taste...something else!

The recipe is from Jigyasa Giri and Pratibha Jain's lovely book " Cooking at Home with Pedatha" , a collection of recipes from the kitchen of Subhadra Krishna Rau Parigi, now 87 and living in Bangalore.

It is a slim volume with just about 80 recipes. Well presented, with ingredients and methods clearly delineated for ease of cooking, it is a pleasure to use. Mostly because each recipe is accurate in the measurement of ingredients, true to the Andhra style of cooking and is absolutely 'no fail'. An added advantage is the simplicity of every one of them.

I liked the layout. One dish to a page with a box to give alternatives, additions or special instructions. Nice photographs and an illustrated glossary of ingredients in three languages, just enough for those unused to the spices or vegetables used.
I particularly liked the section on Pachadis/ chutneys which is quite comprehensive. The vegetable section could have done with a few more recipes though.

This book is already into its second printing and you can see why. Besides recommendations from the who's who of the culinary world and reviews in every possible paper in India, the marketing has been excellent. Which is saying someting considering this is the first cook book published by the authors themselves whose CV's are impressive. From kathak dancer and choreographer( Jigyaya) to Doctor of Philosophy of Language and writer (Pratibha) to translators of texts from Hindi to English, their interests are eclectic. They seem to have a passion for recording Indian traditions, culture and stories. This book is a continuation of that passion.

Here is the recipe for Brinjal Pasty Vegetable posted here with the kind permission of the authors.

Brinjal 1/2 kg, chopped medium
Black eyed beans 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Ginger 1 tsp, grated
Coriander leaves 1 tbsp, chopped fine
Green chillies 3-4 slit
Oil 2 tbsps
Salt to taste

The tempering
Split black gram ( husked) 2 tsps
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Red chillies 2-3, nicked at tail with stalks retained
Curry leaves 8-10,with stem
Asafoetida powder 1 tsp

1. Soak the black eyed beans in warm water for half an hour and pressure cook up to one whistle.Strain and set aside.

2. Boil the brijal with the turmeric powder until well cooked. Strain and mash coarsely.

3.In a wok, heat the oil for tempering. Add the gram; as it turns golden, add the mustard.Lower the flame and add the red chillies. As they turn bright red, stir in the curry leaves and asafoetida.

4.Add the mashed brinjal and boiled beans, green chillies, ginger and salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes.

5. Finally,switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with steamed rice and any pachchadi from the collection.

Cooking at Home with Pedatha
Jigyasa Giri and Pratibha Jain
Pub: Pritya
ISBN 81-902993-0-1

P.S. from Jigyasa and Pratibha-"It is exactly 2 years since the book was first published and 1 year since we received the news about the awards the book had won. At this point we just want to say that the awards have of course, affirmed our work, and we are extremely happy about them, but the greatest award has been and continues to be the love and appreciation from food lovers like you. It reiterates our faith in working from the heart and in our belief that if you don't take the shortcut, you will go a long way.
Pedatha sends her love and blessings, she says - "to all you wonderful bloggers...whose words I read because of my 2 naughty lovely girls who always remember to send me printouts of the wonderful things you write."

 

Pyaz Bhindi Bhaji- Onion Okra Vegetable

There are all sorts of expert suggestions to stop okra from going slimy. One piece of advice is to wash and dry the vegetable well before cutting or slicing it. Thats what I do. Another is to sharpen the stem end to a point before you cook it. Never tried that. Sounds like too much trouble.
Some say not to puncture the pods else the juice will be released and the whole dish will be thickened and slimy. Not true if the recipe does not call for any sauce anyhow. I top and tail each pod and it doesn't make the slightest difference to the final result. But then most of the ways in which I cook bhindi is by sauteeing it or cooking it with a tablespoon of water at the most .
It is important to buy okra which is not old or limp or woody, too long or too dark green. 2-3 inch pods are the best.
As always what follows is an effortless recipe for okra, or lady's fingers, bhend,bhendi, dharosh, bendakai, vendakka, bendakaya,vendakai, or whatever you call it in your language.

Ingredients

500 gms bhindi / okra
2 green chillies
2 large onions.
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp dhania / coriander powder
A pinch of haldi / turmeric
A pinch of salt

Wash and dry the bhindi. Top and tail the pods. Slit and deseed the green chillies.Chop onions in the length. Heat the oil in a kadhai, and fry the chillies first. When they are soft add the onions and fry till slighlty done and not too brown.The pieces should keep their shape and have a bit of bite at the end. Add the coriander powder and haldi and stir a couple of times. Now add the bhindi, cover tightly and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes stirring in between if necessary to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the kadhai. Add a bit of salt and thats that. Yummy with rice or chapathi or bread.

Of Gandh Raj and other living treasures

"Jyotsna Ben,

Just the other day a friend brought for me some special nimboos that I had introduced him to. You may know these; they are called 'Dahanu' Nimboos, as they are also grown there. They are unique as they have this lovely subtle flavour which renders everything very special with just one squeeze ! .... Sadly, I am not so lucky to find them often in the bhaji markets. But some rare vendors, who cater to Parsi clientele , keep them. They are largish ( compared to our normal limbu) and deep green in colour. When cut, they are a deep yellow inside and the juice, for it's flavour, as I said, is very very special!
Better still are their cousins in Calcutta, used commonly by the Bengalis. These they call the "Gandh Raj" ( a typical Bong will pronounce it "Gondho Raaj" ). They are aromatically more endowed and are something to die for ! So next time when R is visiting Cal, ask him to fetch you some and you'll know what you were missing! These Gandh Raj come closest to the Thai Nimboos you know as the Kaffir Lime.They are the ultimate in citrus gifts to mankind. They are really out of this world. Their flavour is truly heavenly and even the Kaffir Lime leaves are equally aromatic. The Tom Yum soup and so many of their wonderful curries can never be the same without them. Well then there are other Nimboos in the world including the Sicilian Lime and others...Apropos the different Rasas as they are described in the Indian Natya Shastra:the ras from these Nimboos are worthy of the same exalted place in the Paak Shastras ! Next time some sharing on the great Topli Paneer. Do you know it? Cheers to all that! Mahen"

Not a lot of people know that one of the best photograpers in India today is a gourmet cook . I am always grateful to Mahendra Sinh for sharing his deep knowlege and understanding of Indian cuisine and his pleasure in the food and wine of the world. He makes the simplest dish fantastic because his sensibilities are so attuned to the slightest note that each spice adds and he does not like noise.
Mahen, as any acquaintance of his will tell you, does not suffer fools gladly and in ringing tones will denounce misinformation, generalisations, and all half baked ideas based on inadequate facts. I am inclined to add my two paise bit to his castigation of the pompous and the pedestrian especially when they masquerade as art. And anybody in India, who follows the history and happenings of our arts today, knows how many "creations' are cliche, copied or kitsch.
His own work is wrested out of years of experience, of study and of observation. His own deep respect for the greats of photography from whom he has learnt is like a touching genuflection in their direction of all that is fine in creative arts. His work takes its place firmly in the evolution of photography in India and the world and in my opinion he stands head and shoulders above the rest .
Now about the "Gondho Raaj". It was a revelation. Gentle, not bitter, with a subtlety of taste not normally associated with lime. A teaspoon of the juice in a dal raises it to yummydom, a grating of the rind on baked fish makes it utterly delicious.
Thanks again Mahen.

The Taste of Home Cooked Indian Food-Chowli Sabzi

So many people who eat "Indian " have never really tasted the real thing. That red blanket of sauce in which all ingredients swim is not it. That is restaurant Indian. Usually followed by the word makhani or Jal Frezi or Moghlai , it is literally, a cover up for the basic inadequacy of the main ingredient...be it chicken or lamb, cauliflower or potato. Old perhaps, out of date, leftovers, anything in need of masking, a nom de plume, an alias. The accompaniments to the entree make it a right old masquerade. Just be careful the food isn't dressed to kill. . If not you, at least your appetite.
Strangely enough there are people who develop a taste for this oily ,thick mush. I think its is more a taste for "something else"..a change from the usual , however horrid.
There are very few restaurants, even here in India, where you can actually taste the main ingredient..like a simple vegetable or a mutton curry which is not slathered with a sauce full of spices . Plus plenty of chillies to disguise the fact that the pain one feels is in the slaughter of the taste buds or the distress of the soon-to-be-affected digestive system.
I love eating out...seated at the tables of my friends. I know I am going to taste something different, something good. Since all of us seem to come from different parts of the country, someones daily fare is going to be another ones gastronomic delight. I also prefer to serve the regular food we eat. No extra oil or ghee. Not too much mirchi. A little tarka / seasoning and voila - its heaven to those who aren't familiar with the tastes we were brought up with. I recall one outstanding alu kadhi / potato yogurt curry with puri made in Delhi by a friend from Haryana, a tomato vegetable from another pal from Bengal, an out of this world kheema kebab from a dear Kashmiri friend and so it goes. Unforgettable tastes, unforgettable meals . Many dishes are now firmly part of our home cuisine too. There is a world of food to look forward to if you can convince the average hospitable and generous Indian you'd like to join them for their lunch rather than be invited out for dinner.
If you had dropped by this is what you might have eaten today; like my moong dal recipe, it is easy to make and good to eat.

Chowli Vegetable

Chowli Alu Sabzi

250 gms. of young and tender chowli
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 potato cut into small cubes (optional)
A pinch of rai /mustard seed
1/2 green chilli minced (optional)
1 tsp ground garlic
A pinch of haldi /turmeric
Salt to taste.

Pick out the thin chowli beans and slice them into 1/2 inch pieces. Take the peas out of the larger pods and add them to the chopped beans. Heat the oil. Saute the potatoes till half done .Now fry the mustard seed and the green chilli. Add the garlic paste and fry well till light brown. Do not let the garlic burn or the vegetable will taste bitter. Now add the chowli , the turmeric and salt, and a sprinkle of water. Stir well. Cover tightly with a lid and let it cook for 10 minutes on a low fire. Add a spoon of water if required during cooking. Stir well. Serve.

The point to any successful home cooked vegetable is that it should have a single spice flavour, not a hundred to dampen and drown it. I hate the habit of adding ginger and garlic to everything. Sometimes you need just one of the two.The use of commercially made pastes have led to this 'ginger+garlic' trend. The ready made paste has no recognisable taste anyhow. Adding fresh herbs last, as a seasoning, can change the flavour of the whole.Try cooking with A spice and A herb , or just one of the two. Ot two of one i.e. two spices, or two herbs. You might end up with 8 different flavours. And I'm sure every interpretation will be more than edible.

Chowli / vigna sinensis ( I think that is the botanical name...there is some dispute about the taxonomy) an edible podded pea, are related to other vigna plants like the cowpea or black eyed peas which have become part of southern American food, after being introduced there from the Old world in the 18th century. Native to India , it is grown commercially here.They are not as long as the chinese, yard long or asparagus beans, though I suspect they are all relatives . The chowli bean in about 6 inches long, round and straight.
It is an especially useful plant for the small farmer, in both India and Africa, as it can be used throughout its life cycle, as is done with other grain legume crops in the tropics. Its leaves can be used from the start and it makes a high protein vegetable. The seeds can be eaten as well as used for sprouting. The beans may be plucked before maturity and also used as a vegetable.When cropping and thinning ,the leaves and seedlings can be eaten.The pods can be allowed to grow till maturity, dried and kept  as a lentil, forming a long lasting source of food. I find it surprising that so much energy and money is being invested in horticulture , on the research and propogation of plants which need far more pesticides and fertilisers, when old plants ,which are so valuable in alleviating malnutrition and hunger are being ignored, to the detriment of the agricultural community and the rural population at large.

Govaricheshenga, Govarphalli or Cluster Beans Bhaji

An earlier post on ridge gourd drew several reactions mostly of the 'ughh', 'yuck' and 'sheee' (Maharashtrian expression of extreme disgust ) genre. Gustad ( the Ironcheff), in New York went so far as to call it..."bahhji". I never realised so many people didn't like ridge gourd. Perhaps it is like karela / bitter gourd...an acquired taste.

Govariche Bhaji, Govar Phalli Sabzi, Cluster beans veggie

Not many people I know wax eloquent about cluster beans either but once you taste this version you will be a fan for life.The slight bitterness is tempered by the addition of gur and the milk gives it a creamy feel.This is one of my favourite Maharashtrian recipes.

For those who would like to know what Govar is known as in their own language here is a glossary in Indian languages.

Tamil- Kothavaranga
Telegu-Gokarakaya
Malayalam-Kothavara
Kannada-Chavalikai
Konkani- Mitkesaang
Gujerati-Guvar ni sing

Ingredients:
250 gms guvar/ cluster beans chopped into 1/2 " piece
Water
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp rai/ mustard seed
1 potato peeled and cut into small cubes.
Pinch of hing / asafoetida
1/2 tsp haldi / turmeric
A generous pinch of ajwain / thymol seeds
Salt
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp grated gur /jaggery
1 tbsp chopped green coriander

Clean, chop and cook the beans in two cups of water till done.Drain and keep aside.

Fry Potatoes

Heat the oil in a kadhai and add the mustard seed . When they pop add and fry the potatoes. When golden brown add the hing, ajwain, haldi and salt and stir well.

Add cooked beans

Now add the cooked beans and the milk

Add chilli powder and jaggery

Bring to the boil and  add the chilli powder and grated jaggery. Cook till most of the milk has been absorbed. Then add the coriander, stir once and serve.

Cluster Beans

The bean must be picked when young and tender as it becomes woody, fibrous and hairy as it matures and then is not fit for human consumption.They can then be fed to animals ! The beans have always been used as fodder for animals and it is said that it was originally brought to India by Arab traders as horse feed from the Middle east, where it grew profusely in the deserts.Contrary to this version of history it is also said that guar originated in India and since the country has so many arid and semi arid areas it also produces 80% of the world guar crop.

The cluster bean has a large endosperm which is used to produce a guar gum, a highly refined form of which is used as a stabiliser in cheeses and whipped cream substitutes. It is also used as a stiffener in icecream.

It is a good crop for India as it is drought resistant, nor does it deplete the soil; in fact it actually enriches it with nitrogen. After the harvest , if bits of the roots and other "waste" materials are ploughed back into the soil, it improves succeeding crop yields. Rajasthan grows most of the guar produced in India and it is harvested in October-November. However this vegetable can be found throughout the year in most markets here, and it is a pretty popular part of the Maharashtrian Thali.

Ridge Gourd -Toorai, Turia, Dodka Sabzi

Turai, Dodka Bhaji

• 2 ridge gourds about 250 gms, skinned and chopped into slices about 1 inch wide.
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 tomato , chopped fine
• 1 green chilli , slit and deseeded
• Pinch of haldi / turmeric
• Salt

Make a fine paste of the following ingredients with a mortar and pestle.

• 1/4 tsp rai / mustard seed
• 1/4 tsp jeera / cumin seed
• 2 tsps til / sesame seeds
• 1 dry red chilli
• 4 cloves garlic

With a potato peeler lightly skin the gourd of all hard veins. Not too much.Slice into fairly thick pieces. Heat the oil and fry the onion till brown and soft. Add the green chilli and fry for another minute or two. Add the tomato and turmeric and cook till tomato becomes a pulp. Add the  paste and fry well till the oil separates from the mixture. Pop in the turai with a sprinkle of water. Cover tightly and cook till soft. If you need to, add a few tablespoons of water and mix well to make a very slight bit of gravy. Finish with a sprinkle of salt to taste.

Ridge Gourd is also known as Angular Luffa or Chinese okra in English. Used more often for crafts in the west than as a vegetable it has actually got a subtle flavour when picked young , a taste which is lacking in the more common and fibrous Luffa aegyptiaca from which scrubbers and sponges are made. Ridge gourd grows all across India in the Gangetic plain, the North East and many other parts, in areas where the average temperature ranges between 28-34 C. It thrives in high temperatures. Many farmers with small holdings plant this vegetable in a three tier system whereby their land yields much more than usual. With a ground crop of green gram or groundnut, a second tier of sesame and a top level crop of gourd which is cultivated on a trellis this inter cropping is also good for the soil. Improved varieties of ridge gourd have been developed in Kerala, which yield many more fruit , and the cultivation of which are likely to benefit the small farmer as they can be grown in the rice fallows in summer.

Ridge gourd is propagated through open pollination. So there is a saying around here that the fruits of the gourd must be picked in the morning since their flowers open in the evening. Meaning any movement in the fields in the evening would be likely to disturb the pollinators, the bees and other insects hovering around the flowers.

Once they are harvested, though, care needs to be taken as ridge gourd are not as hardy as they look. Too much heat makes the plant lose water and weight , making the peel tough while chilling makes it lose acids and sugars, so the fridge is not a good place to store it either. Ideally it should be kept in a cool humid place. The monsoon is, therefore, a good time to buy ridge gourd as they are less likely to be tough.

Some people say that the peeled skin can be made into a chutney after cooking in salted water and thorough washing . The peels are then ground into a paste with the addition of green chillies, salt,tamarind, coriander and a pinch of sugar.I have never tried this myself but do know that the practice of using every bit of what is edible in a vegetable, is slowly disappearing.

Nalinima, my inspiration for this blog, used to make the most amazing tasty dishes from skinned pea pods, from cauliflower leaves and stems, and from what would normally be considered waste from all sorts of vegetables. At the age of 80 she would sit in the kitchen with her mother, aged 98 , peeling and cutting vegetables companionably on the old curved vegetable slicer, a rather lethal looking instrument, while discussing  their friend R.K.Laxman's take on the shenanigans of the latest politicians in his daily cartoons.

Recent scientific studies seem to suggest that cooking the ridge gourds adds to the antioxidants already present to make it a good source of beta carotene and other vitamins. It has always been part of the Indian diet as it is a cucurbit vegetable known since antiquity, though it may not be as popular amongst the younger generation.

Ridge gourds have been found to have many genetic variations and point out the rich bio diversity that exists in India. I am constantly amazed at the range of vegetables available in different markets, many of which are not commonly used in Maharashtrian cuisine but , which form a staple in the diet of people from other Indian cultures.We cannot, however, take bio diversity for granted. By sharing our old traditional recipes we learn to use, popularize and encourage the cultivation of several vegetables which are indigenous, easier to grow, do not require expensive fertilisers and pesticides and do not deplete our soil of valuable nutrients.

Back to My Roots- Arvi in a Red Chilli Curry

Now I'm back to cooking Indian food again after several days and ater many forays into French and Thai cuisine. Everybody at home enjoys the difference and are quite used to having two completely different types of cuisine in a single day. Since all of us have an adventurous palate one would think that, when things got a bit boring, the rest of the family would take to the kitchen as well and cook up something really inventive. No such thing. My daughter states categorically, " I like eating. I dont like cooking." Hmm.

So sometimes, when I get fed up and go on strike..we starve.

Well fasting is considered a good thing here. Something to do with feeling holy. I guess it's a bit like the hair shirt business. Mortification. Not that I think that is so great. But I am told fasting is very good for the digestive system. I think it is even better for the family system. Family members suddenly remember they can make omelettes or a stir fry or fruit yogurt, in any case, something simple and filling. I always say "a little strike and a bit of hunger can change even the most spoilt diners"*. They see the light. They are willing to eat anything...even their own cooking.

I can hear a howl of protest in the distance, from one small creative cook, so I shall stop with that homily and get on to the main dish. Today it is Arvi Lal Mirchi.

Arvi Lal Mirchi Curry

Ingredients

• 500 gms arvi / taro root
• 4 tbsp of vegetable oil

1 green chilli chopped fine

1 onion

1" ginger

8 cloves of garlic.

2 bay leaves

• 2 cups yogurt/ curds
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

Garam Masala powder mix
Dry roast the following spices in a cast iron pan while stirring constantly so they do not get burnt.

• 1 inch piece of dalchini / cinnamon
• 6 black peppercorns
• 2 large black cardomoms
• 4 cloves
• 4 dried red chillies
• 3 tsps dhania/ coriander seeds
• 1 tsp jeera .
• Powder in a coffee grinder and then add the following to the mix.
• 1/2 tsp haldi / turmeric powder

Boil the arvi till done. ( Do not over cook or it becomes a slimy mush. Check for doneness as with a potato) Skin and cut into 1/2 " circles. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and fry minced green chilli and onion. Cool and grind to a paste in a blender along with the garlic and ginger. Heat 2 tbsp of oil and fry the arvi pieces till crisp and slightly brown. Remove from pan. Heat 1 tbsp oil and saute the bay leaf along with the onion and garlic paste. Fry the masala mix next . Keep stirring till the oil seperates from the mixture. You see a slight shininess on the surface of the mixture. Now beat the curds along with the sugar till smooth. Add to the masalas in the pan and mix well. the fried arvi and salt. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat stirring gently a couple of times. Finally add the pinch of nutmeg. Serve hot

Many of us call Arvi by some other name but it still tastes as nice. Here is my usual glossary for those who have no access to one.

• Marathi-Arukudya, Alukandhagandhi
• Hindi- Arvi
• English- Colocasia or Taro root
• Tamil- Chembu,Cheppankizhangu
• Telegu-Chamagadda, Chamadumpa
• Malayalam- Chembu
• Kannada-Kesuvinagadde
• Bengali-Kochu
• Oriya-Saruwada
• Konkani- Alvamande

Besides Indian languages it is called Eddo and Dasheen in the West Indies, in Cuba, Melanga, in Japan,sato-imo or serebesu, in Korea,Toray, in Malay Ubi keladi, in China woo tau,hung nga woo tau, and in the Phillipines- gabu or dagmay psing.Many more local names exist in all these languages.



Arvi Corms

It seems to have originated in India which may explain the such high genetic diversity in the germplasm found here, as compared to say the taro found in Hawaii or Polynesia or Africa, all of them places where colocasia grows in abundance. It grows with relative ease in marshy wetland and requires little care. Farmers invest less in the growing of arvi as compared to brinjal, tomatoes, onions, potatoes or okra . No seeds need to be bought as they reproduce from the underground stems, the corms which we make into a number of different tasty dishes. And the middleman, without whom, sadly, the farmers produce could not reach the market, makes more on this vegetable than any other, as it keeps well and he is able tosell it for substantially more than he bought it.. Arvi is a standard among the vegetables grown by shifting cultivation,, a system common among tribals and called "jhum. " in the North East



C.Esculenta Plant

Among the types of colocasia grown in India, Arvi is colocasia esculenta while Bunda is Colocasia antiquorum, a variety which has the smallest of the colocasia leaves.

It can be grown even in the west and has quite showy leaves which makes it nice as a potted plant.Be warned though; it can take up a lot of space.It's elephant ears can spread far and wide, much like the plant itself has done over the centuries.

*deccanheffalump

More Health to your Elbow - Carrot and Peanut Salad- Gajar aur Shengdana Salad

This is standard fare on our thali's. Another amazingly interesting combination which works so well. Also 'good for health' as they say here. Peanuts are often added to Maharashtrian dishes. As a result, your protein intake is taken care of and your "good cholesterol" becomes better. Well, years of eating rather too well have ended up with a lot of friends stricken with high LDL / that heart clogger . And I know it is not politically correct to mention lipid profiles and suchlike nasty subjects in a food blog but , one day, and it happens to have been a day in this week for me, we have to face the music for our sins. Mixed metaphors are also a result of high cholesterol I'm afraid.
Now, all is not lost, keep the commiserations to yourself- a little bit of thought and one can come up with good taste and an improved profile both internal and external. Add the following to the file for "Vegetarian Delights with a Difference".

Carrot and Peanut Salad

Ingredients:
4 carrots
1 tablespoon peanuts
1 tsp rai / mustard seeds
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp grated coconut (optional)
1 tsp chopped green coriander.

Wash and grate carrots. Roast peanuts and grind coarsely.You can do this in a blender. or just go over peanuts once or twice with a rolling pin.Mix the carrots and peanuts. Heat up the teaspoon of oil and fry mustard seeds till they pop.Add them to the carrots and peanuts and mix well. Garnish with coconut and coriander. If you don't have the last two ingredients don't worry. It tastes just fine without.