Colocasia masala curry (Aluche tonak)

The large and billowing colocasia leaf looks like the ears of an elephant. Commonly known as arbi ke patte in Hindi, alu che paan in Marathi, alvi na patta in Gujarati and taro leaves in English,and aluchi pana in konkani it has many medicinal properties that makes it a wonderful food during the rains. Just as an umbrella protects you from the rains, so also arbi and its leaf protect you against many ailments.

The leaves are rich in vitamins and minerals. The Vitamin A content is good for your vision. It also contains Vitamin C, which improves the luster of the hair and gives a sparkle to the eye. Vitamin C is essential for skin health. Its antioxidant action cleanses your body, removing the bad effects of wrong eating, stress and pollution.

The cleansing action adds a glow to the face.The iron content in colocasia leaves improve the quality of blood, and boosts liver health. It is a rich source of calcium, which is essential for sturdy bones and women’s bone health and guards against pre menstrual problems. It is good for lactating mothers as it increases the flow of milk.

The potassium content of the leaves may help to lower blood pressure. Colocasia leaves contain traces of zinc, which is excellent for men’s health and acts as a mood stabilizer if consumed regularly. Consuming these fibre-rich leaves can help to regulate the digestive system, cleanse it, preventing constipation and stomach-related disorders.

Most edible varieties of colocasia leaves contain traces of oxalic acid, which leads to an itching sensation in the mouth and hands during contact. To prevent this, make sure you wash it thoroughly before use. Rinse the itchy area well under running water. A little tamarind juice added during cooking will prevent the itchy sensation when you eat it.

Though this dish is very famous in Maharashtra in the name of अळूचं फदफदं, i will present here the goan version of this dish which is called as” Aluche tonak”. Tonak is the name given to gravy dish in goa which is made using coconut.
Before marriage I never had liking towards this dish and was always worried about the fact that eating the dish prepared from this leaves let to itching in the mouth and throat. This dish is also famous in some families in goa during ganesh since it’s a no onion no garlic recipe, and leaves are easily available during that period.

I happened to eat this dish in goa during ganesh which was prepared by my mother in law. I liked the way she cooked it. My husband just loves this dish hence I borrowed the  authentic goan recipe from my MIL. Now I am also a big fan of this dish along with my husband.

         

       Ingredients

• Around 7-8 medium sized colocasia/alu  leaves and leaf stem (cleaned and chopped)
• Grated coconut (1 cup)
• Garam masala (1 tsp)
• Chili powder (1/2 tsp)
• Tamarind pulp (1 tablespoon)
• Salt (as per taste)
• Jaggery (1 tsp)
• Oil (around 1tablespoon)
• Mustard seeds (1/tsp)
• Asafetida (1/4^th tsp)
• Water (as per need)
• White peas (½ cup soaked in water overnight)
• Vadiyo (5-6)
• (Vadiyo is a sun dried chunk of ash gourd, black gram and other spices. These are very typical to the goan cuisine  )

          Serves ( 3-4)

      Method of preparation

• In a large bowl, take water cut the stems off the leaves, and put the leaves in the water. Make sure they are immersed in water for at least 5 - 10 minutes.
• When the leaves are soaking in the water, in the meanwhile with a small knife, start peeling the skin of the stems. It comes off very easily.
• Drain and rinse the leaves in fresh water. Shake the extra water off the leaves. Roughly chop the leaves and the stems.
• In a pressure cooker place the chopped leaves and stems,also add soaked vatana and around 1 cup of water. Cook till 3-4 whistles.
• After the cooker is ready and the steam has settled, open it and allow the container to cool a little.
• Prepare the gravy by grinding tamarind pulp, grated coconut, garam masala and chili powder and little water.
• Now mix together the coconut gravy and the cooked vatana and leaves. Add salt and jaggery and mix again. Add little water if necessary to adjust the consistency.
• Heat oil in a pan add oil, hing, mustard seeds and vadiyo, allowing them to crackle. Transfer the gravy along with cooked leaves in the pan; stir well and allow it to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Serve with roti/chapati or rice.

       

        Note

• Instead of tamarind you can also use sour fruit from goa called 'Amado'/'Ambado' They  are found in plenty during the monsoon season between June and September. Amade have a tangy sour flavor and nice aroma. If you are using it in this dish add around 2-3 sliced amade(as per taste) while cooking the chopped colocasia leaves.

       

       Happy Cooking !