Spiced Elephant Foot Yam – Suran Masala
This rich and warming yam curry from Camellia Panjabi is the perfect dish to make for Diwali celebrations. You can buy elephant foot yam online or try local greengrocers or world food shops.
Introduction
Elephant foot yam is known as zaminkand or jimikand in northern India, and as suran in western and southern India. It is a nutritious vegetable, good for digestion (particularly helpful for gut microbes), and filling.
Ingredients
| 500g | elephant foot yam |
| 1 tsp | salt |
| 2 tsp | lemon juice |
| 345ml | oil of your choice |
| 3 | cassia leaves or bay leaves |
| 1 | dried red chilli, broken into pieces |
| 1 tsp | cumin seeds |
| ¹⁄₈ tsp | asafoetida |
| 75g | chopped onions |
| 1 heaped tbsp | chopped garlic |
| 1 level tbsp | chopped ginger |
| ½ level tsp | chopped green chilli |
| ½ tsp | ground turmeric |
| 1 level tsp | red chilli powder |
| 1 level tsp | garam masala |
| 2 tbsp | yoghurt, beaten |
| 2 | tomatoes, finely chopped |
| 1½ tsp | teaspoons salt |
| ½ teaspoon | sugar |
| 60ml | cream |
| 15g | chopped coriander leaves |
| grated ginger, for garnish |
Method
The elephant yam is often sold with some soil around it to keep it moist – that way it can be stored unpeeled for a while. So you should wash it thoroughly before you use it. Once washed, wipe it and peel it – you will be left with about 440g. Cut it into bite-size pieces. Once peeled it will oxidize, so put the diced yam into a bowl of water with a teaspoon of salt and two teaspoons of lemon juice.
Heat the oil in a deep sauté pan, and when hot, deep-fry the diced yam for about 7 minutes, turning from time to time. It will get a nice autumn brown hue.
Pour away most of the oil, keeping it for another use, leaving about 75ml in the pan. Set the yam aside in a bowl.
To the oil in the pan, add the cassia or bay leaves, red chilli pieces, cumin seeds, asafoetida and the chopped onions, and sauté for about 10 minutes. Now add the garlic, ginger, green chilli and ground spices, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the yoghurt, tomatoes, salt, sugar and 225ml of water and cook for 5 minutes on a very low heat, stirring from time to time. You now have a nice thick spice mixture.
Add the deep-fried diced yam and another 225ml of water and let it simmer for 10 minutes, then add the cream. Add the coriander leaves, stir and taste for seasoning.
Serve, garnished with grated ginger. This is a tasty dish – vegetarians love it for its hearty flavour.
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