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 (1/4th
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.
