Taro root yogurt curry / Arbi / Chembu Curry mild curry made with taro root and yogurt with coconut. It is a silky smooth soothing curry and calms the stomach of all the acidic fires going on. This root curry is hence made usually during rainy days to have with rice or rice gruel. Taro root recipes are very popular in Traditional Kerala cooking and this root is considered an ancient root vegetable.
Pick fresh and evenly firm root without any blemishes, white fungus cracks, or other dark or soft spots.
They can be hairy or not depending on the variety.
The root should feel heavy for its size and not hollow inside.
Taro root should be kept in a dry and dark area so it doesn’t start sprouting.
1. In some people taro root causes skin irritation while cleaning. It may cause itching. If you feel it is drying your hands immediately wash your hands and apply liberal amount of coconut oil on your hands and do not wash it off immediately.
2. Wear gloves if you have a sensitive skin.
3. Taro is a very slimy root vegetable like okra so do not cut into pieces and then wash. Hence peel quickly wash off dirt debris if any then cut into pieces.
Taro root causes itching while peeling in some people so use gloves if needed it is slightly slimy like okra so remember to dry well before cutting.
While cooking sure taro root is not mashed. The dish will look like mashed potato. Taro needs structure and when pressed it should give in without any pressure.
Other mild yogurt based curries to try and fall in love :
Taro root yogurt curry / Arbi / Chembu curry
Ingredients
- 4 Taro root / Arbi /Chembu
- 1 Green chili Cut
- 1 tsp Chili powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
To grind :
- 2/3 cup Coconut grated
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 1 cup Plain yogurt
To season :
- 1 tsp Mustard
- 2 Whole red chili
- 1 Sprig Curry leaves
- 2-3 tsp Coconut oil
Instructions
- Peel taro root caefully wash well and dry. (Note taro root causes itching while peeling use gloves if needed it is slightly slimy like okra so remember to dry well before cutting )Cut into large rounds.
- Heat a pan the taro pieces, chili powder turmeric powder, salt, green chili and few curry leaves. Pour enough water to cover the taro root . Cover and cook until taro is soft but not mashed.
- Coarsely grind coconut ,jeera, pepper adding yogurt. Once the taro is cooked reduce heat to low and add the coconut paste. Add very little water to blender jar and pour that too. Allow it to come to a slight simmer. Do not boil now remove from heat and keep aside immediately.
- Heat coconut oil add mustard when it crackles add red chili and curry leaves.Pour the seasoning on to the curry keep this almost covered until served.Serve taroroot yogurt curry warm with rice, rasam and other stir fries.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Memories and life lessons :
When most people in Kerala are going through the misery and devastation the mammoth flood 33 rivers left behind it would be plain insensitive to post any food here. When 800,000 are displaced, living in camps waiting for aid we refuse to celebrate onam. My heart goes out to every fellow being who did nothing wrong yet lost everything earned in a lifetime and to everyone who is incapable of rebuilding due to age and financial constraints. The thought that the all the money flowing in as donations from good Samaritans all over the world will not most probably reach the most needy is even more agitating… to say the least.
A beautiful land can turn into rubble in just a matter of two days of heaviest rainfall of the century is a rude awakening for everyone thinking it is not going to happen in their side of the world.
With every new footage of destruction I watch my belief to practice minimalism is getting stronger. To a certain extend this vagabond life has helped us in maintaining that. If you would like to know how we started off then the answer is …Downsize. Let us downsize to begin with
Mother nature just reiterated . . .
Be less:
Selfish
Materialistic ( Not a single luxury car swam in water)
Brand conscious ( Latest technology gadgets sat under water for days)
Collect more of:
Good memories
Trustworthy friends (Who would put SOS alert when they don’t hear from you)
Blessings ( Just by being humane)
Spend on:
Knowledge
Life skills
Good quality healthy food (Your body is your most precious asset)
Every materialistic luxury is headache to maintain and keep up with and heartache to loose.Invest in things no one can steal from you nor take away until memory exists in you.
What are the life lessons you learnt and practice ?
Anyway..
Do give this Taro root yogurt curry / Arbi / Chembu Curry and let me know.
Meena
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