Elephant Yam & Malabar Spinach Never Looked So Good Together
Deepthi Tanikella documents a special family recipe that marries elephant yam with Malabar spinach.
My nana’s expertise in preparing kanda bachali kura, a dish made from elephant yam and Malabar spinach, showcases the artistry and care that often goes into home cooking.
He has long held that every dish needs time — to allow its ingredients to come together and fully develop their taste potential. His process with kanda bachali kura begins with carefully peeling the kanda, and boiling it with the broad, heart-shaped leaves of Malabar spinach. His process is meticulous: as the kura cooks, we go about our annual Sankranti rituals, as this is the time of year it is typically made. The anticipation in the house builds; the youngest of the children can never resist sneaking into the kitchen for a peek and a taste, before it is officially served.
When mealtime finally arrived, banana leaves are laid out; platters for the hot, steaming rice. Amma lovingly places a ladleful of the aromatic kanda bachali kura beside the rice, and a dollop of ghee on top. Accompanied by assorted chutneys, podis and a variety of sweets, our meal is truly a feast for the senses.
Each morsel of this dish is a unique sensory experience, sometimes tangy from tamarind, sometimes sweet from jaggery, and occasionally surprising us with a chunk of yam that is not fully mashed. Slow-cooked, kanda bachali melts in the mouths; a lingering satisfaction that makes the long wait entirely worthwhile.
RECIPE FOR KANDA BACHALI KURA
Ingredients
250 g of Elephant foot yam
1 stalk of Malabar spinach
2 tbsp peanut oil or any neutral oil
1 tsp raw rice
4 tsp mustard seeds,
4 red chillies
A pinch of hing
1 sprig of curry leaves
3 green chillies
A gooseberry-sized tamarind soaked in half a cup of warm water.
Salt, as required
Method
Soak the tamarind in warm water.
Peel and cut elephant foot yam into medium-sized cubes, and chop the Malabar spinach.
Take a thick-bottomed vessel, add the yam and spinach and enough water to cook them until they turn soft and tender. Once boiled, drain the excess water and set the vegetables aside.
While the vegetables are boiling, soak the rice, mustard seeds, and red chillies in water for 15 minutes and then grind into a coarse paste.
Mash the yam, leaving some pieces as chunks.
In a pan, add oil and mustard seeds until they crackle. Add hing, curry leaves, and green chillies, and fry.
Mix in the yam, then the mustard paste and stir well.
Now add the tamarind water and salt and allow to cook for a few minutes.
Serve with hot rice, and finish with ghee.
Deepthi Tanikella is a passionate home-cook, food anthropologist and storyteller, who loves to explore and honour diverse culinary traditions, weaving flavours, memories, and stories to connect people and celebrate her family’s legacy.
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