Seppangizhangu Fry

Taro root or seppagizhangu is a vegetable that many people avoid because of the  sliminess, but in this recipe if you follow exactly you will get a tasty and crispy fry. Seppangizhanku is a very fibrous vegetable which has many health benefits and it also tastes good.

Preparation time:  25 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Seppangilangu-200 grams

Tamarind-2inch piece

Turmeric-2 tbsp.

Salt to taste

Oil-4 tbsp.

Jeera powder-1 tbsp

Chilly powder-3/4 tbsp.

Garlic-2 cloves

curry leaves-1 sprig

Red chilly-1

To season:

Split urad dal-1/4 teaspoon

Mustard-1/4 teaspoon

Jeera-1/4 teaspoon

Pepper-1/4 teaspoon

hing-2 pinches

Preparation:

Wash the seppangizhangu thoroughly and put it in the cooker and add enough water along with 2 pinches of turmeric powder and tamarind.

Pressure cook it for 2 whistles

When the pressure is gone, drain the water and peel the vegetable.

Chop it into bite sized slices

In a kadai, add oil and when its hot and ready, add the seasonings, when it splutters add turmeric,finely chopped garlic,red chilly pieces and curry leaves, then fry.

Then  add the chopped veggies along with required amount of salt

DO NOT use a spoon to mix, just let it fry. Occasionally toss it so that the vegetables on the bottom get flipped and the ones on the top get their turn to be fried

Sprinkle the jeera and chilly powder evenly and toss it once, check for salt.Then allow it to cook.

You need to add the spices only when the vegetables become dry and there is no slime, so that the spices get coated evenly on all the pieces.

It might take 15-20 minutes for all the pieces to be evenly fried, so keep it in medium flame and let it take its time, but do not forget to flip it 2-3 minutes once, so that you get the best roasted seppangkizhangu.

Now your seppankizhangu is ready to be enjoyed as a side dish along with rice

Notes:

Be cautious while chopping the vegetable because it might be slimy after peeling it.

Instead of chilly powder, you can use freshly ground pepper. But you need to reduce the amount of pepper as it is more spicier than chilly powder.

You need to add jeera powder even if you use pepper, and the dish will turn out to be little dark in colour, whereas the regular fry is usually golden brown in colour.

Many of us don't make this vegetable often because of the slime. And some even complain about sore throat while eating it. But in this recipe, we add tamarind while cooking which prevents you from having a sore throat.