Elephant Yam / Suran / Chenai is a root vegetable which is even given to new mothers who have given delivery because it is such a safe vegetable and easy to cook and is very tender.
Various dishes can be prepared using it. I am now sharing a traditional mouth watering recipe with you. As I said traditional recipe it means we use coconut oil for it. But you can use the oil of your choice. If you like the flavour of coconut oil, you will find it even more delicious.
Chenai Masiyal
Ingredients :-
- Elephant Yam - 1/4 kg
- Lemon - 1/2
- Curry leaves - 2 sprigs (reserve one for tempering)
- Red chilli - 2 Nos
- Green Chilli - 1 no.
- Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
- Urad whole - 1 tsp
- Hing - 1 pinch
- Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
- Grated coconut - 4 tbsp
- Ginger - 1" piece
- salt to taste
- Coconut oil - 3 tbsp (reserve 1 tbsp for garnishing)
Procedure :-
- Peel, wash thoroughly and dice them
- Boil water, add salt and turmeric powder, put the diced yam and bring to boil, lower the flame and let it cook till it becomes tender.
- Drain (you can use the water for other cooking purposes or dilute and drink like soup and let it cool
- In a mixer grind the grated coconut, curry leaves, ginger, greenchilli coarsely (without water).\
- When the yam cubes cools down, mash them or just put in a mixe and whip it.
- Heat oil in a wok, add mustard seeds, urad, red chilli and hing powder.
- When the mustard splutter, urad turns nice red in colour, add curry leaves and then add the mashed yam and grated coconut masala.\
- Mix well for 2 minutes
- remove from fire
- when it cools down a bit, squeeze in juice of half a lemon, the remaining 1tbsp of coconut oil and adjust salt if required. Mix well.
- Mouthwatering and flavourful masiyal / chutney is ready!
It goes well with plain hot white rice (as a main dish), and as side dish with chapathis and other rices varieties. A very good accompaniment for curd rice.