Meen Illatha Meen Curry(Chembu Curry)| Arbi (Taro Root) Curry | Lenten Friendly Recipes ~ Step by Step Pics

As I already told in my previous post that I am digging out all old forgotten and less frequently used veg recipes now till Easter. The regular ones of sambar, moru and rasam have taken many turns and there is always a terrible demand for new tastes. Then comes the second list of curries like kalan, chakkakuru manga curry, pacha manga curry and velarikka pulinkari and when this list is also exhausted then you are also kind of dehydrated and cracking your heads to what's next. This is a mindful thought of getting a non veg flavor of fish (meen) in a vegetable curry. Sounds strange?? But doesn't taste that weird and you can make it to get the fish gravy flavors.

This curry can be made with many vegetables like padavalanga, nendran kaya, but I personally like chembu in this curry which gets softly cooked and resembles like fish pieces in the gravy. I have used the large chembu variety for this curry as the smaller ones gets mushy once cooked. The chembu or taro root should be cooked well, but not mashed into the gravy to get the actual flavors. Also, this curry tastes best when the curry is rested for about 4–5 hours so that all the flavours seep in. The chembu gets nicely cooked, though it's told that these fibrous veggies don't cook well in a sour medium (tamarind). I have used the fish tamarind, but you can use the other tamarind (sambar) ones too if you don't get hold of fish tamarind(kudampuli). You may hardly need any sides with this curry to be served with rice. This curry is not very watery and tastes good only if the gravy is thick, not watery. Pair it with moru curry if you want a gravy curry along with it and some sides like cabbage thoran and beans mezhukuparetti like we had. I had the chembu as slightly bigger cubes and this curry is made exactly like we make the kottayam style fish curry or meen vatticha meen curry. Do give this a try during lent this season and am sure you will love it!!

Preparation time ~ 20 minutes
Cooking time ~ 12 minutes
Serves ~ 4
Author ~ Julie
Ingredients
taro root /chembu / arbi 3 large
ginger / inji 1 tbsp chopped fine
garlic /veluthulli 1 tbsp chopped fine
shallots / kunjulli 4-5 sliced
kashmiri chilly powder 2 tbsp
coriander powder 2 tsp
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
gamboojia / kudampuli / fish tamarind 2–3 slices
fenugreek seeds / uluva 1/4 tsp
curry leaves 2 sprigs
mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
coconut oil 2 tbsp
salt to taste


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Method

• Peel the skin of taro root and chop the chembu in small cubes. Drop them in a bowl of water(else the color of the skin changes) and keep aside. Chop ginger and garlic finely or small. Slice the shallots and keep ready the curry leaves. Wash and soak the fish tamarind(kudampuli) in water.

• In a mann chatti(preferably earthen pot)) or wok, add oil(coconut oil) and wait till its hot. Crackle mustard seeds and then add in fenugreek seeds(uluva). Then wait till its lightly browned. Slide in the chopped ginger and garlic. Saute until lightly done and add in shallots and curry leaves. Saute until the shallots turn lightly golden brown. Make a paste of the spice powders (chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder) in water and add to the sauteed shallots. Cook on low flame till oil separates(may take 2 mins). 

• Then add in the soaked tamarind with water and add a cup of water too. Add salt and bring this a rolling boil. Transfer the cubed chembu(taro root) in this and cook covered for 7-8 minutes on medium flame. In between check the chembu if cooked and add more water if needed. Finally, check the gravy if its turned slightly thick. Then add in few fresh curry leaves and pour a 2 tsp of coconut oil on top, swirl the mann chatti once again and leave covered till you serve.

• Ideally a resting time of 4-5 hours is good enough to get the masalas seeped in chembu to taste best but you can serve after one hour too. In a mann chatti(earthen pot) the gravy thickens further as its sits but if you are making in a wok then see to the gravy and switch off. 

NOTES
* You can make this gravy with padavalanga or nendran kaya too but chembu tastes best.
* The cooking time of chembu or taro root may vary as per varieties so keep a watch. It shoud be just cooked right an not over cooked.


MORE RECIPES WITH TARO ROOT (CHEMBU)- 
Chembu Moru Curry
Chembu Astram
Chembu Mezhukuparetti
Chembu Chips
Chembu Erissery