Senai Kizhangu Varuval | Elephant Yam Fry

My 180th recipe, "Senai Kizhangu Varuval | Elephant Yam Fry", a delicious South Indian side. I hate to mention this while pening each of my post, but I do not have any other option this time. You guessed it right. Senai Kizhangu is one among my most favorite veggies 😀 Maybe it is because I always cook and post my favorites most of the times 😉 While I was in India, my mom used to prepare keerai masiyal during the weekends. And in most cases the side dish was this wonderful Yam Fry. It is super crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Being salty, spicy and slightly tangy, all in one, it was the best side for rice. I used to stand besides my mom in the kitchen and as soon as she transfers a batch of yam fry from the tawa onto the plate, I would polish it off clean. Now-a-days, it is one veggie which I miss very dearly. I rarely find it in the Indian super markets here in the US and even when it is available it is super expensive. I could buy veggies for the whole week instead of buying a head of yam 🙂 But once in a while, when I do buy it, it surely is a treat for my taste buds 🙂  

Elephant Yam Fry

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 3

Ingredients

  

• Elephant Yam / Senai Kizhangu - 10 large slices
• Salt - ¼ tsp + a large pinch Adjust as per taste
• Turmeric - ¼ tsp + a large pinch
• Sambar powder - 1 ¼ Tbsp Red chilli powder - ½ Tbsp + Coriander powder - ½ Tbsp
• Jeera powder - ¼ tsp
• Tamarind - 2 Large pinch
• Oil - As needed

Instructions

 

• First wash the yam and cut off the outer layer of the yam. Cut the yam into ¼ inch thick slices as shown in the pic. Cook covered in boiling water along with a pinch of salt and turmeric until it is 90% done. Drain the water and keep it aside.
  
   
  
   
• Meanwhile soak the tamarind in ¼ Cup of warm water and prepare a thick extract.
• Now add the sambar powder, turmeric, salt, jeera powder, tamarind extract to a mixing bowl or plate and mix to get a paste as shown in the pic. If the mixture is too thick sprinkle some water to achieve the right consistency.
  
   
• Now add the cooked yam to the paste and marinate for 5 minutes.
  
   
• Then heat a tawa, sprinkle sufficient oil and roast both sides of the yam in medium-low flame until you get a crispy golden brown color. Keep flipping at regular intervals.
  
   
• Serve hot as a side or munch away as an appetizer.
  
   

Notes | FAQ

- After slicing the yam, start cooking it immediately or keep it immersed in water until you cook it. This will prevent decolorization.
- Do not overcook the yam. It will get mashed out and you will not be able to fry.
- Before marinating the yam, make sure to drain the water completely from the yam. Otherwise the marination will become watery and will not get coated properly over the yam.