Tarot Root Pan fried (Sookhi Arbi Bhuji)

In my previous post, some of you expressed doubt over Arbi while others were brimming with ideas on how Arbi can be used to make drinks, appetizers, meals, or desserts. For myself, I am still discovering. I had then sworn to again cook this vegetable. So here I am living up to my promise. Today we try a new way of cooking Arbi. I invented this recipe. Last time I cooked Arbi slightly mashed.
Few facts about Arbi: Arbi is also known as Colacassia. Taro is native to the tropical parts of India and Malaysia.


After peeling Arbi, I made the mistake(?) of washing them. Although my intent was towards sheer cleanliness, my mom advised that raw Arbi is incredibly hard and now that it was wet, Arbi was now slippy and even more difficult to slice. I used a paper towel to dry the Arbi and then sliced it.

This time I wanted to make it crispy. Here is what I did:

Ingredients:
1. 7 large sized arbis, peeled and sliced, then washed.
3. 4 tablespoons mustard oil
4. Salt to taste. I added 1.5 teaspoon.
5. 1/2 teaspoon Red chili powder
6. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
7. 1 teaspoon Amchoor (dried mango) powder
8. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
9. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Instructions:
1. Bake Arbi in the oven at 425 degree C for 20 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a non stick pan.
2. Add mustard seeds, allow them to crackle.
3. Add cumin seeds and turmeric.
4. Add baked tarot roots.
5. When the tarot root look roasted, add salt.
6. When the vegetables are golden brown, add amchoor powder and red chili powder. Mix with a light hand.

Serve hot as an appetizer with tea or as a side with steamed white rice and Kadi.

Tarot Root (Arbi)

I am tired cooking the same ole vegetables everyday. I want to try something new. But what?? How about Arbi!! That is what I thought to myself today.

I remember that as a kid I used to find Tarot root the ugliest vegetable in the world. And therefore, I was also biased towards it's taste. When we moved to a Northern state in India is when we first discovered Tarot root. It was also a popular vegetable in that state. My mom experimented with this vegetable for the first time with reservations. But after a few tries, my family started liking Tarot root. I was still resistant to change, I would eat it but with a frown. I never thought I would cook it one day in my kitchen. But things change, situations change, and so do people. And change is good. Because of my long lived disinterested in this vegetable, I never knew how to cook Tarot root. But today I was up for something new. I gave up my inhibitions and tried to recollect how my mom would cook this vegetable. I ended up cooking Tarot root unlike my mom cooked it. But what turned out was something tasty, and I figured I could make use of what I cooked in very many ways. I am up for cooking Tarot root again! Here is the recipe if you're interested ;)

1. 4-5 tarot roots (arbi)
2. 1/2 small onion, chopped
3. 2 tablespoons tomato paste
4. 1/2 tablespoon garlic ginger paste
5. 1 teaspoon methi seeds (fenugreek)
6. 1/2 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
7. 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
8. Salt to taste
9. 2 tablespoons olive oil
10. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
11. 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
12. 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
13. 2 potatoes, small

Instructions:
1. Boil arbi and potatoes in a pressure cooker until 2 whistles blow. (If you don't want to boil, roast or microwave it. The skin is hard to peel off otherwise. Also tarot root is said to release some fluid that can irritate the skin if you try to remove the skin when it's raw)
2. Drain the water, Let cool. Peel off the skin of the potato and arbi, then slice them up.
3. In a non stick pan, heat olive oil
4. Add methi and let it turn dark brown.
5. Add onion, garlic, and ginger
6. Stir fry until onion turns golden brown.
7. Add cumin powder, garam masala, red chili powder, ajwain.
8. Add tomato paste and mix well. Cook until the paste leaves the oil
9. Add potato and arbi and salt. Mix well, trying not to break the soft vegetable. Cook until the arbi/potato starts getting crisp and turns slightly golden brown.

Garnish with fresh and chopped coriander leaves.

This can be used as a dry vegetable, or as a filling to sandwich if mashed slightly, or as a filling to Dosa (crepe).

How would you eat this??