Colocasia, also known as taro or arbi, is a staple root vegetable enjoyed in many cuisines. Its unique flavour and texture make it perfect for various dishes, especially during the monsoon season.
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Arbi is versatile in nature, due to which it is incorporated in the preparation of many flavourful dishes like patra, pathrode, curry, chutney, etc. Arbi leaves are eaten mostly during the onset of the monsoon season and are used in an array of regional preparations across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Here below is the list of dishes that you can prepare with Colocasia for this monsoon season.
Eight Dishes To Prepare With Colocasia:
Arbi Masala
Arbi Masala is a classic and flavourful dish made with boiled colocasia. To prepare it at home, start by boiling the colocasia until soft, then peel and cut them into pieces. It is tempered with cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, and chopped onions. Other vegetables, like chopped onions and tomatoes, provide a tangy twist to the dish. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or rice, and enjoy these cosy vibes.
Arbi Vadi
Arbi Vadi is a Colocasia dish that is popular in Maharashtra as a snack, which defines the unique taste and texture of colocasia leaves. In its preparation, fresh Colocasia leaves are gently spread with a mixture of spicy gram flour, then rolled up, steamed, or shallow fried until they become crispy. The culinary result is a snack that is crispy on the outside. soft on the inside and taste delicious with the accurate tangy, sweet, and spicy aromas. Allu Vadi is mostly served as a side dish or a starter and is perfect for your monsoon cup of tea. It is also known as Patra in Gujarat and Patrode in Karnataka.
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Arbi Patta Pakora
Arbi Pakora is a delicious snack perfect for monsoon evenings. To cook this snack, chop the colocasia leaves and blanche them and set aside. In a bowl, mix gram flour, ajwain, red chilly powder, cumin, turmeric, and salt. Add colocasia, sliced onions, and chopped coriander. Mix them well, and deep fry them by releasing a spoonful of the mix into hot oil until golden and crispy. You can have these crispy pakoras hot with chutney or ketchup.
Also Read: 8 South Indian Dishes That Feature Jaggery
Alu Chi Bhaji
This is a traditional Maharashtrian dish made from colocasia (taro) leaves, known as "alu" in Marathi. Unlike the Hindi "aloo" for potatoes, "alu" refers to these green leaves. This dish features a thin, curry-like consistency similar to Palak Paneer. The colocasia leaves are cooked with tamarind pulp to counteract their natural itchiness, along with peanuts and chana dal for added texture. It has a unique sweet and sour taste, making it a delightful sabzi. For a variation, spinach leaves can be used instead of colocasia. This no-onion, no-garlic recipe is also suitable for religious occasions.
Arbi Ka Saag
Arbi ka Saag is a unique dish that is preferred mostly in the states of Punjab and Haryana. It is made with colocasia and spinach, where colocasia is boiled, chopped, and cooked in a pot with a little water on low fire. Then it is tempered with cumin seeds, chopped onions, garlic, and green chillies. It is cooked until the blend of the flavours starts giving off aromas. It is served with rice or roti for a nutritious meal option in monsoon.
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Colocasia Chips
Colocasia chips are a crispy and delicious snack for the monsoon days. To make it at home, peel the colocasia and slice them thinly. Soak the slices in water to remove excess starch, then pat them dry. Heat oil in a pan and fry the slices until crispy and golden. Sprinkle it with your favourite fusion of spices and enjoy these crunchy chips with your favourite dip.
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Kochu Shak
Kochu shak is a classic Bengali delicacy that features Colocasia leaves, which are cooked with spicy mustard coconut paste and other spices. The leaves are first boiled and then sautéed with the paste, along with green chillies and mustard oil. The unique thing about this dish is that it is typically made without onion and garlic. The pungent flavours of this dish are best savoured with steamed rice, luchi, or roti.
Saru Patra
In Odisha, a dish called Saru Patra showcases the unique use of colocasia leaves. These leaves are stuffed, rolled, steamed, stir-fried, and then added to a savoury gravy. The preparation begins with fresh, tender colocasia leaves, known locally as saru patra. After washing and laying out the leaves, their stalks are removed. The stuffing is made by grinding soaked rice grains or urad dal with spices like cumin, green chillies, and tamarind, resulting in a thick paste. This paste is applied to the leaves, which are then rolled and steamed to eliminate the itchiness caused by calcium oxalate.
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Once steamed, the rolls are sliced into discs and shallow-fried until crispy. These fried pieces are then simmered in a thin, tangy gravy made from onions, tomatoes, ambula (mango kernels), and mustard. The result is a flavourful dish, rich in texture and taste, best enjoyed during the monsoon season when colocasia leaves are tender and plentiful.