It's winter season and the market is flooded with root vegetables. Most unusual and uncommon root vegetables, vegetables and fruits can be found during this period at best prices. It is believed that human digestive and metabolism system and health works best during the winters so it is always good to consume as many vegetables as possible during this time. Root vegetables are best in terms of nutrients and gives enough energy to us, hence consume them as much as possible. Moreover, root vegetables are really easy to good and tastes nice. If you are bored of the regular vegetables and meats, do opt for root vegetables and experience it's rich taste.This is a root vegetable called Siru Kilangu in tamil and Koorakai in Malayalam. I don't know its english name, I did search a lot but failed to know it's English name.
Siru Kilangu is very popular among South Indians and especially among tamil and malayali population. The taste of Siru Kilangu is more or less familiar to potatoes but potatoes tend to get extremely when boiled nicely and siru kilangu doesn't get the softer but it is best to eat that way.
In south, the root vegetables like siru kilangu, cheppa kilangu(taro), Sennai (yam), Karunai kilangu are extremely popular.
Ingredients:Siru Kilangu - 500 grams (It is also called Koorkai)
Grated coconut - 3-4 tablespoons
Curry leaves - 10-12 nos
Dry Red chillies - 2-3 nos
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilly powder - 1 tablespoon
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1-2 tablepsoon.
Method:
- The most important and time consuming part of this root vegetable is getting it cleaned and removing its skin. But there is a easy way to do this. Take the siru kilangu is a thick big cloth , gather the kilangu in the middle of the cloth and tie up the cloth into a bundle keeping the kilangu inside.
- Now beat the bundle on the floor for atleast 10-15 times. dont waste all your energy in beating it. You are not hitting the stone but a vegetable, so apply less amount of energy.
- Hit it on the floor for few times. Now open the bundle. You can see the skins seperated. If needed cover it again and hit on floor for few more times till you feel it is okay.
- Now open the bundle. Carefully remove the kilangu from the seperated skin one by one and put it a vessel of water.
- Keep the siru kilangu soaked in this water for atleast 3-4 hours. This loosens up the remaining skin and makes it easy for you to remove them completely.
- When it is soaked enough, peel the skin of the siru kilangu with the help of a knife. and again put then in a clean bowl of water. Remove the skin of all the kilangu one by one and place it in clean water.
- Wash it nicely.
- Now here you can either cook the siru kilangu well before and keep it ready or cook it while making the cuisine. I always make them while cooking.
- Now chop the siru kilangu into 3 or 4 peices as per choice. Usually siru kilangu is small in size.
- Now that the skin has been peeled , it is cleaned and chopped. It is time to cook it.
- Take a kadai and heat it on flame. Add oil and allow to heat.
- Add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
- Once mustard seeds get crackled, add pinch of asafoetida . Then add cut the dry red chillies into two from the middle and add it to the thadka. Also add the curry leaves and saute for a minute.
- Thadka is ready. Now put the chopped siru kilangu into the kadai and pour enough water till the siru kilangu is covered. Allow it cook without lid for 5 minutes. Later cover a lid and cook for further 5-8 minutes. Add little salt while cooking, later add the the exact amount you need as per taste. Since grated coconut too needs salt so it half the amount of salt can be added later.
- Check it. Check whether the kilangu is cooked. You can do this by taking a kilangu out and pressing it with fingers or by inserting a knife inside it. If knife pierces easily hen its cooked or if you get pressed then its cooked.
- By this time even the water must have evapourated, if not then cook it for further 2 minutes on open air but dont stir. The water will get evapourated. If case you had already cooked the kilangu then this step (15 and 16 ) is not necesaary.
- Now add turmeric powder, salt (remember you did add little while cooking it) and red chilly powder. Stir and mix well.
- Add the grated coconut finally and mix well and cook for 1 min more. Grated coconut not only removes the extra moisture but also add taste the recipe.
- Siru Kilangu poriyal is ready. Serve hot with Sambhar Rice .
Preparation Time: 6 hours
Cooking Hours : 20-25 minutes
Serves: 4 persons
Shelflife: 1 day
Serving Suggestion: Serve hot with Sambhar and rice.
Note:
- To remove the skin of this vegetable easily, tie it in a thick big cloth and hit it on the floor ( the way cloths are hit while washing in india). But dont hit that hard, just be light and smooth while hitting. Repeat this 10-15 mins till the skin is almost seperated from the kilangu.
- To remove the remaining skin, put it clean in clean water . Pour water so that the kilangu gets fully covered. So add ample amount of water and keep them soaking for almost 3-4 hours. Sometimes it needs to be soaked for 5 -6 hours too depending on the skin.
- With the help of knife peel the skin of the kilangu and put it clean water. Remove the skin of all the kilangu similarly and put it in clean water. Wash nicely and chop into pieces.
- While cooking if you feel there is more amount of moisture in the recipe, then add few more teaspoons of grated coconut. If will remove the extra moisture and keep the recipe dry.
Click here to know all about Tamil Nadu cuisines- Introduction To Tamil Nadu Cuisines And Recipes.
Posts
do u know how to make cheppa kizhangu fry ?
-Amritha / 9916036016 / iaps128@gmail.com
HI Amrita
I am glad to answer your question. Yeah, I know how to cook Cheppa Kilungu fry and I have already posted the recipe in my blog.
Here is the link to it
http://dhanashrees-recipes.blogspot.com/2009/09/arbi-fry-seppakizhangu-fry.html
Hope you like it. Do let me know about your feedback. Happy cooking:-)