Elephant Foot Yam Kootu With Tamarind and Coconut
South Indian stew combining tender elephant foot yam simmered in tamarind water with a roasted spice paste of coriander, chana dal, coconut, and red chillies. Pressure-cooked tur dal binds the curry into a cohesive dish finished with mustard-tempered oil. Traditional comfort food served with steamed rice.
Ingredients
- Elephant foot yam – 2 cups chopped or 1/4 kgtaro root1:1starchy vegetable
milder, less itchy
- Tur dal – 1/3 cupyellow split peas1:1legume
similar earthiness and texture
- Tamarind – a small gooseberry sized ball
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
- Salt needed
- Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
- Bengal gram/channa dal/kadalai paruppu – 2 tsp
- Red chillies – 4
- Grated coconut – 1/4 cup
- Raw Rice – 1 tsp
- Oil – 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Hing – a pinch
- Curry leaves – a sprig
Instructions
- 1
Peel elephant foot yam, wearing gloves or oiling hands to prevent skin irritation. Wash and chop into small pieces.
- 2
Heat oil in a kadai. Add coriander seeds, chana dal, red chillies, and raw rice. Saute until dal turns golden brown.
- 3
Add grated coconut and fry for a few seconds. Turn off heat and let the mixture cool in the residual pan heat.
- 4
Grind the cooled mixture into a smooth paste.
- 5
Pressure cook tur dal for 3 whistles or until soft. Mash well and set aside.
- 6
Soak tamarind in warm water for 15 minutes. Extract juice and discard pulp.
- 7
Cook yam in water with salt and turmeric powder. When half cooked, add tamarind water and continue cooking until yam is soft and tamarind rawness dissipates.
- 8
Stir ground spice paste into cooked yam.
- 9
Add mashed dal and water. Simmer until everything blends well. Adjust salt.
- 10
Heat oil separately. Add mustard seeds and when they sputter, add hing and curry leaves. Pour tempering over kootu.
- 11
Serve with steamed rice.
Tips
Soak tur dal in hot water 15-20 minutes before cooking to reduce cooking time and fuel consumption.
Grease hands with oil or wear gloves when handling elephant foot yam to avoid skin itching.
Cook yam thoroughly in tamarind water to prevent mouth itching sensation.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently with splash of water.
Grind spice paste up to 1 day ahead. Pressure cook dal and chop yam morning-of for best texture.
Serve hot with steamed white rice and a thogayal (South Indian condiment) for a complete meal.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip mashing pressure-cooked dal to avoid chunky texture
Do not rush yam cooking in tamarind water to avoid raw tamarind taste and mouth itching
Do not over-grind spice paste to avoid losing texture contrast
Substitutions
similar earthiness and texture
comparable nutty flavor
milder, less itchy