Arbi / Colocasia / Cheppankizhangu Fry Recipe

I am not going to go yap yap yap through this recipe. The pictures will do the talking.

Oh just one thing. If you are like me and used to turn down cheppankizhangu because its too "slimy" then this dish will make you rethink. Well, its fried, that's a no-brainer but apart from that, it also brings out the unique flavour this tuber has.

What you need to make the Cheppankizhangu Fry (apart from a mother-in-law who cooks this for you and waits patiently while you click pictures at every step)

500gm cheppankizhangu / arbi/ colocasia / chembu
5 tbsp (more or less) rice flour
1 tbsp besan / kadala maavu / gram flour (optional - you can also use rava / semolina instead)
2 tsp red chilli powder
A generous pinch of turmeric powder
A generous pinch of asafoetida / perungaayam / hing
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry

Let's get started. Here's how to make the Cheppankizhangu Fry.

1. Wash and boil the Cheppankizhangu in enough water to cover it for about 10-12 mins until it is cooked but not mushy. Its better not to pressure cook to avoid over-cooking.

2. Cool. Yes, you also need a little patience to make this dish. That's why my mom-in-law made it while I just watched her, snacking on murukku and clicking pictues like its going out of fashion.

3. Once cooled, peel and cut into small, bite-sized pieces that are of the same size more or less. This is so that when you fry the stuff, it gets cooked uniformly.

4. Throw in the rice flour, besan if using, chilli powder, salt, hing and turmeric and toss until well coated. Set aside for 10-15 mins while you heat up the oil for deep drying.

5. Once the oil is hot enough, fry a few pieces at a time until golden brown.

If there's any left after your initial snacking, you can serve with rice and mor kozhambu / moru kachiyathu. I'm told its a good combination.