Arbi ke Patte Ki sabji (Indian savory Of Taro Leaves)

Arbi Ke Patte Ki Sabji

Arbi (Taro/colocasia leaves) are made to different savories in India. Patode/Patra is one of them Its vegetable is very tasty and healthy. It has 12%Calcium, 10 %Iron, 86% Vitamin C, Vitamin A and B, Dietary fibers1% saturated fats, Proteins, no carbs.In Kumaon (Uttarakhand) and Maharashtra both of the preparation are very popular. In Kumaon it is taken with Dal-Chawal and is called papadok saag, in Maharashtra with roti also. Millet bread and taro/colocasia leaf vegetable are real good combination with groundnut chutney by the side. Once after my marriage I made this vegetable and was so eagerly waiting to get thumbs up by my husband. But with one spoon down his throat and he started feeling itchy in the throat same with me and it was all ten fingers and both hands up. I was highly disillusioned. I spoke to my mom staying thousands of miles away from me and got the tips how to avoid such situation. Actually my cooking method was itself flawed. Next time I made the vegetable as per my mom’s instruction. My husband put one spoonful in his mouth and swallowed feeling very scared. But what followed was what I was looking for first time when I had cooked it. Since then I regularly make it and the appreciation goes like “It is very tasty but your mom makes it better”.  Well she always cooked in iron wok I cook in non-stick wok.

Preparation Time: 10 min.

Cooking Time: 15 min

Servings: 4 Large servings

Ingredients required For Making Arbi ke Patte ki Sabji (Taro/Colocasia Leaves Savory):

• 15 Leaves of Arbi (Taro)

• 4 Tea spoon Whole wheat flour/Rice flour

• 1/2Teaspoon Turmeric Powder

• 3-4 Whole Red Chilies

• 1 Teaspoon Ghee (Clarified butter)/Mustard oil/Any cooking oil

• 150 ml. Water

• 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds

• Red chili powder to taste

• Salt to taste

• Pinch of Asafoetida

Direction For Making Arbi Ke Patte Ki Sabji (Taro Leaves Savory):

• Roast the flour on low heat till golden brown in color.
• Wash the Taro (Arbi) leafs nicely in lots of water.

• Pat dry them with cloth.

• Remove the stalk from the leaves.

• Peel the thin outer covering from the stalks. Discard the peel and keep the cleaned stalks aside.

Arbi ke Patte Cleaned and in small bowl peels of stalk to be discarded

• Cut the cleaned stalks and the leaves very fine.

Finely cut Arbi ke Patte and Stalks

• In a wok take ghee/oil and heat.

• When the oil is hot add:

• Cumin seeds

• Broken whole red chilies

• Asafoetida

Tempering of Cumin seeds and Red chili and Asafoetida

•  When the seeds had spluttered and chilies color wonderful flavor of cumin, chilies and asafoetida will come.

• Add Water to the tempering. This is the step where I had gone wrong I had added finely cut leaves first. An absolutely no no in this case, water should be added to the spices in oil first.

• Add

• Turmeric

• Salt

• Red chili powder

Water added to the seasoning

• When the water comes to boil add finely cut taro leaves and stalks.

Arbi ke patte added to the boiling water with seasoning

• Cover and lower the flame. Cook for 4-5 min on low flame this should result in the leaves and stalks to become soft.

Stage when roasted flour to be added

• Add roasted whole wheat flour/Rice flour in little amount with continuous stirring so that lumps do not form.

Flour added and being mixed

Cooking for 2min. after added the flour

• Bring the heat to high and cook for 2-3 min. or till you achieve the consistency of your requirement.

Water added and cooked to thick consistency

• Remove from wok into a serving bowl and enjoy with any type of bread/steamed rice-Dal.

Arbi ke Patte Ki Sabji

Tips:

• Never make the mistake I made of putting the uncooked vegetable into oil with spices directly. Water should be added first until unless you want itchy throat. 

• Never over cook the green leafy vegetable else the color and taste spoils.

Over cooked  Arbi ke patte ki sabji

• Apply oil to your palms before chopping the leaves and stalks otherwise your fingers and palm may itch for some time after chopping work is done.

• Always break the red chilies before adding to hot oil otherwise they may burst open causing hot oil droplets to fall on you. Sure we do not want that to happen.

• Asafoetida should be added after cumin and chilies have been added to get best flavor of asafoetida.

Asafoetida added to Tempering

• Wheat/rice flour can be added by making thin paste for easing the work but while it is added continuous stirring is must to avoid lump formation.

• Removing the thin skin from the stalks is must else the texture4 and taste will get spoiled.

• Best results are obtained when cooked in mustard oil or ghee.

Suggested Variation:

• Roasted groundnut with outer skin removed can be added after adding the flour.

• After adding flour 15-20 ml. of milk can be added to the vegetable in wok and cooked on high heat for a minute or two before removing in serving bowl, this causes the vegetable to get creamy texture.

• Tadaka (tempering) using 1/2ml. oil/ghee and cumin and red chilies can be given to enhance the flavor.