4-5 taro root (aka eddo), these are about the size of small to mediumish potatoes
3 curry leaves
Teaspoon of Urad Dal (aka Split Matpe Bean)
Teaspoon of cumin seeds
4 dried Kashmiri chilis
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/4 teaspoon of asoefetida
Teaspoon of turmeric
Tablespoon of curry powder
1/2 Tablespoon of Kashmiri Red Chili Powder (yes we’re doubling up on chili, don’t be scared)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
**Steps:**
1.) Parboil the taro roots (leave the skin on) in a pot of water for 5-7 minutes or until a knife can pierce without much effort. While you wait, prepare a frying pan with a neutral oil over medium heat.
2.) Add the Urad Dal, Mustard seeds, cumin seed, Kashmiri chili, and curry leaves to the oil and let it spatter. After a couple minutes, after it becomes very fragrant, turn the heat off.
3.) Once the taro is done, remove them and let cool, before peeling off the skins and cutting into thick rounds (about a quarter inch). Turn the heat in the frying pan up to medium and add in the taro. Let them crisp on one side and gently flip them. Ensure there is enough oil and keep the pan moving slightly to prevent the taro from sticking. They are super starchy and tend to stick to each other and to the pan if you’re not careful. Add salt and black pepper to help draw out the moisture.
4.) After about 10 minutes, add the curry powder, turmeric, and red chili powder. Other recipes call for dried mango powder but I never bothered with that. Once the spices are in, turn the heat down a little to prevent tear-gassing yourself. Stir until the color is even distributed. You’ll notice as you move the taro around that the starchy insides rub off on the pan surface. These then get brown and crispy and flake off and then stick back onto the taro chunks. The above pic looks like it was tossed in flour or something to get that slightly breaded effect. But there’s no additive. It’s just being tossed in itself. That’s the magic of taro over, say, something like potato (and I love fried potatoes). Once there’s a handful of sear marks all over, it’s ready to serve.
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**RECIPE**
**Ingredients:**
4-5 taro root (aka eddo), these are about the size of small to mediumish potatoes
3 curry leaves
Teaspoon of Urad Dal (aka Split Matpe Bean)
Teaspoon of cumin seeds
4 dried Kashmiri chilis
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/4 teaspoon of asoefetida
Teaspoon of turmeric
Tablespoon of curry powder
1/2 Tablespoon of Kashmiri Red Chili Powder (yes we’re doubling up on chili, don’t be scared)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
**Steps:**
1.) Parboil the taro roots (leave the skin on) in a pot of water for 5-7 minutes or until a knife can pierce without much effort. While you wait, prepare a frying pan with a neutral oil over medium heat.
2.) Add the Urad Dal, Mustard seeds, cumin seed, Kashmiri chili, and curry leaves to the oil and let it spatter. After a couple minutes, after it becomes very fragrant, turn the heat off.
3.) Once the taro is done, remove them and let cool, before peeling off the skins and cutting into thick rounds (about a quarter inch). Turn the heat in the frying pan up to medium and add in the taro. Let them crisp on one side and gently flip them. Ensure there is enough oil and keep the pan moving slightly to prevent the taro from sticking. They are super starchy and tend to stick to each other and to the pan if you’re not careful. Add salt and black pepper to help draw out the moisture.
4.) After about 10 minutes, add the curry powder, turmeric, and red chili powder. Other recipes call for dried mango powder but I never bothered with that. Once the spices are in, turn the heat down a little to prevent tear-gassing yourself. Stir until the color is even distributed. You’ll notice as you move the taro around that the starchy insides rub off on the pan surface. These then get brown and crispy and flake off and then stick back onto the taro chunks. The above pic looks like it was tossed in flour or something to get that slightly breaded effect. But there’s no additive. It’s just being tossed in itself. That’s the magic of taro over, say, something like potato (and I love fried potatoes). Once there’s a handful of sear marks all over, it’s ready to serve.