Chepang Kilangu in Tamil, arbi in Hindi, colocasia in English, loved at home! This rich South Indian preparation is a hit at weekend lunches and dinner parties.
Prep time: 45 minutes
Caters to: 4 gobblers
Challenge level: Intermediate
From the pantry:
- 500 gm colocasia (arbi)
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon amchoor
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 onions
- Handful of cashew nuts
- 8-10 curry leaves
For Magic masala:
- 100 grams fennel (saunf)
- 90 grams cinnamon stick
- 10 grams star anise
- 75 grams green cardamom
- 10 grams black cardamom
- 2-3 pieces of mace (jaadi patri)
- 20 grams cloves
Cook Away:
- Boil the arbi in a pressure cooker for 8 to 9 minutes on low flame.
- While the arbi is boiling, prepare the Magic masala. Slightly fry all spices in a dry pan. Cool these and grind to a dry powder.
- Take the arbi out of the pressure cooker and let it cool. Peel and slice into long pieces of thin to medium thickness.
- Deep fry them in hot oil till golden brown and crisp. Remove from pan and place of a paper to drain the oil.
- Add salt, amchoor, cumin powder, and coriander powder on top and toss lightly.
- Chop one onion. Fry it in a pan with some oil till pink.
- Add the cashews to the pan and fry for a minute.
- Let it cool and grind to soft paste.
- In a pan, add few drops of oil and heat. Add the curry leaves and one thinly sliced onion. Fry for a few minutes.
- Add the ground paste onion-cashew and cook till it releases water. Add salt to taste and a pinch of Magic masala.
- Add the fried arbi and cook on a low heat. Stir occasionally, cook till brown.
Quick weekday meal or an indulgent bite over the weekend, feast on this dish that fits every bill.
Featured Image Courtesy: archanaskitchen.com
