Suran Ki Sabzi / Yam Stir Fry (Dry Recipe)

 

           Suran Ki Sabzi / Yam Stir Fry is a simple and a quick dry dish to be had with jeera rice or chapatti / paratha. It also goes well as a side dish with dal-chawal. Yam is a very nutritious tuber and in spite of having a lot of fibre content, it also contains a lot vitamins and potassium. This is a dry recipe and if prepared in this manner, can turn out simply yummy and chatpata. 

          In this recipe, I just added onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies and few dry spices. It was then finished off with lime juice and coriander leaves. This yam stir fry is both spicy and tangy. So check out a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of this amazing dish.

• 500 gms. Yam / Suran, cut into small cubes
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2-3 garlic, sliced
• 1 inch ginger, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tbp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped 

           Steam the suran for 4-5 minutes or till it is fork tender. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds and asafoetida.

          Add the onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies and sauté till light brown. 

          Add the steamed suran and salt to taste. Give it a nice mix. 

          Now add all the remaining dry spices. Sauté on a low flame for 2-3 minutes.

          When done, add lime juice and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves.       

          Serve as a side dish with either jeera rice or chapatti / paratha.

      Steam the suran for 4-5 minutes or till it is fork tender. Keep aside.

        Heat oil in a pan & temper with cumin seeds & asafoetida.

 Add the onion, ginger, garlic & green chilies & sauté till light brown. 

           Add the steamed suran & salt to taste. Give it a nice mix. 

Now add all the remaining dry spices. Sauté on a low flame for 2-3 minutes.

                 When done, add lime juice and mix well.

                   Garnish with coriander leaves.

             Serve as a side dish with either jeera rice or chapatti / paratha.

Yam Pitika (Mashed Suran - Assamese style)

 

         Aloo Pitika or mashed potato is a typical Assamese signature dish which is very popular. It is part of an Assamese thali. However, potato can be substituted with any boiled / grilled veggies, eggs or grilled fish. So let me share a Pitika made of Elephant Yam. When time is a constraint, this quick and simple dish is the best comfort food. It has minimum of ingredients, easily available in the kitchen. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing North Eastern dish.

          This dish may be a far cry from any restaurant style recipe, but there is no compromise in the taste and flavour. In this recipe boiled and mashed yam is mixed with some chopped onion, green chilies, coriander leaves, salt and a drizzle of mustard oil. 

           This simple dish is almost similar to Bong style aloo bhate and Bihari style aloo chokha. You can serve it with panta bhaat / poite bhaat / pakhala bhaat (fermented rice) or steamed rice along with other dishes. You may also enjoy it as a side dish with dal-chawal (lentil-rice) or with chapatti. 

• 500 gms. Elephant Foot Yam, boiled & mashed
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil
• pinch of red chili flakes (opt)

           In a bowl, combine all the above mentioned ingredients. 

           Form into balls if desired and serve with panta bhaat (fermented rice), steamed rice or as a side dish with rice and dal.

                                  Boiled Yam.

                                  Mashed Yam.

                                  Mix all the ingredients. 

 

                     Form into balls if desired & serve with panta bhaat (fermented rice), steamed

                     rice or as a side dish with rice and dal.

Oal / Ole / Ol Paturi (Elephant Yam Steam Cooked in Banana Leaf - Bengali Style)

          This is one amazing dish that I came across in one of the TV cookery shows. Was quite impressed by its simplicity and it was absolutely true when I prepared it. It was awesome and delicious with just hot steamed rice. 

          In this recipe Elephant Yam (Suran) is mixed with mustard-coconut paste, onion, garlic, coriander leaves and other seasonings. It is then steam cooked in a banana leaf. So go ahead and give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          Paturi is a traditional Bengali style of steam cooking in a banana leaf. Usually fish is prepared in this manner, but never knew that veggies too can be made in the same way. It turns out simply delicious. Besides rice, they can also be had with plain chapati or parathas. You can also try with raw banana and arvi.

• 500 gms. Elephant Yam (boiled & grated)
• 2 tsp. mustard oil
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. mustard paste
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• few whole fresh red chilies
• banana leaf as required

          In a bowl, mix together all the above mentioned ingredients (except the last two). 

          Take few pieces of banana leaves and place them on the open flame for a few seconds to make them more pliable. 

          Place some of the yam mix in the center of the leaf and place a chili on it. Gently fold the leaf securely to make a parcel. (You can also tie it up with a thread). 

          Make Similar parcels following the same method. Steam for 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Open the banana leaf parcel and serve with steamed rice.

                                  Grate boiled Yam / Suran

                                 Mix all the ingredients (except the last two). 

                          Place some yam mix in the center of the leaf & place a chili over it. 

                       Fold the leaf to make a parcel. (You can also tie it up with a thread). 

                                 Steam for 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool. 

                                 Open the banana leaf parcel.

                          Serve with hot steamed rice.

Mixed vegetable Korma - South Indian Style

          Korma in general is a very popular side dish in South Indian Cuisine. But it differs from one region to the other. At few places it is cooked, adding yoghurt and in others, coconut-cashew paste is used. 

          Whatever the version, it is a delectable dish to be relished either with rice or chapatti. In the south, it is best enjoyed as an accompaniment along with appam, idiappam or Biryani. So check out the step-by-step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 big bowl (5-6 cups) mixed veggies
• (raw papaya, french beans, broad beans, potato, yam, carrots, eggplants, bottle gourd, red pumpkin)
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 2 star anise
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 5-6 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-2 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp./ garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp. fresh coconut, grated
• 1-2 fresh green chilies
• 5-6 cashew nuts
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Grind together coconut, green chilies and the cashews into a paste. Keep aside. Make a paste with the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and all the powdered spices (except salt) mixed with 1/4 cup water. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil and temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and cumin seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the onion and curry leaves. Sauté till light brown.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté on a low flame till the oil separates. Now add the chopped veggies and salt and mix well.

          Add 2 cups water and simmer, covered for 12-15 minutes till the veggies turns soft. Add the coconut paste and 1 cup water and continue to simmer till the gravy slightly thickens. 


  

                     Heat oil & temper with bay leaves, cumin seeds, star anise, cardamoms, 
                     cloves, cinnamon & dry red chilies.

                       
                                  Add onion & curry leaves. Sauté till light brown.

                  Add ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste & all dry spices (except water) mixed
                  with some water.

                                 Add chopped veggies & water. Cook till veggies turns soft.

                    Add coconut paste & some more water. Simmer till gravy slightly thickens.

                                 Serve, garnished with coriander leaves.











      

Yam Stir Fry (South Indian Style)

         An easy stir fry dish of Yam cooked with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, urad dal (split black gram) and green chili and finishing off with a sprinkle of sambar powder for an authentic South Indian flavor. Not to forget a dash of lime for a tangy taste.

          The chili powder can be adjusted according to individual taste. Best had as a side dish with either rice-dal / curd-rice combo or with chapattis. I like to have simply mixed with plain steamed rice along with papad.

• 300 gms. yam, cut into small cubes & boiled
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 green chili, chopped
• pinch of asafoetida
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 - 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. sambar powder
• lime juice to taste
• coriander leaves to garnish

         Heat oil in a non-stick pan and temper with the mustard seeds. After it stops crackling, add the urad dal, asafoetida, green chili and curry leaves.

         Sauté for a few seconds till the dal changes color. Add the boiled yam cubes, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and sambar powder.

         Sauté on a low flame for 1-2 minutes. Switch off the flame and add the lime juice. Mix well and serve, garnished with coriander leaves.

Ol Makha (Suran Bharta / Yam Bharta - Bengali Style)

          'OL' means Elephant Foot Yam / Suran and 'Makha' means boiled / mashed / bharta. So this is my version of a Yam Bharta a la Bengali style. This is another great way of serving this humble veggie which is full of essential nutrients. It is a simple homemade, easy and a yummy dish. The tempering is done in mustard oil for an authentic Bong flavor. 

           It is a great comfort food for those days when time is a constraint. You can try this recipe with potato too. It can also be had, rolled up in a roti as a wrap or spread on a toast for a quick meal. So check out step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 500 gms. yam, peeled & cubed
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds)
• 2 dry red chilies, broken into half
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 onion chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Boil the yam till soft or pressure cook for 2-3 whistles. When cool, mash them and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chilies, nigella seeds and garlic. Sauté till the garlic changes color.

          Then add the onion, salt and turmeric powder.  Sauté till light brown. 
    
          Add this tempering and the coriander leaves to the mashed yam and mix well. 

          Serve with hot steamed rice or with chapattis / parathas.

Boil the yam till soft or pressure cook for 2-3 whistles. When cool, mash them & keep aside.

                           Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chilies, 

                        nigella seeds & garlic. Sauté till the garlic changes color.

  Then add the onion, salt & turmeric powder.  Sauté till light brown. 
                                      

 Add this tempering and the coriander leaves to the mashed yam & mix well. 

               Serve with hot steamed rice or with chapattis / parathas.