Fried Arbi (Taro root) Masala

Cook Time 40 mins
Cooking Method: ,
Cuisine:
Courses: , ,
Difficulty: Intermediate
Servings: 5
Description

A crunchy and spicy Indian subzi/vegetable dish made with Arbi (Taro root) that can be eaten as an appetizer or with Indian roti/rice

Ingredients
    Main Ingredients
  • 5 Arbi - large size
  • 1 cup Cooking oil (For shallow frying the arbi)
    • Flour coating for arbi
  • 3 tbsp Bengal gram flour ((Chickpea flour))
  • 2 tsp Rice flour
  • 2 tsp Red chili powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin powder
  • 1 tsp Coriander powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
    • Tadka ( tempering) Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp Cooking oil
  • 5 Dried red chilis
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp Hing ((Asafoetida))
  • 15 Curry leaves
  • 1/4 cup Fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 tsp Garam masala
  • 1 tsp Red chili powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin powder
  • 1 tsp Coriander powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Amchur ((dried mango powder))
Instructions
  1. 1
    Boiling the Arbi
    • Wash arbi roots thoroughly to remove any dirt
    • You can boil arbi in 3 ways :
      1. Microwave : Place the arbi in a microwave-safe bowl and fill it with water until all arbi roots are covered with water. The bowl should be large enough so that there is enough space above the water level. Microwave for 10-15 minutes OR until the arbi roots soft and you can pierce them with a knife easily.
      2. Pressure cooker - Pressure cook the arbi ( without the whistle) for about 20 minutes. This is a little tricky as you cannot check in the middle of cooking
      3. Stovetop : Place the arbi in a thick bottom pan and cover them with water. Bring the water to boil and let the arbi boil for about 20-25 minutes. Keep checking with a knife.
    • NOTE : The arbi should not turn mushy as we want them to retain the shape when cut into slices.
    • After the boiling is done, remove the arbi from water and let them cool. Once the arbi have cooled, remove the skin and cut each arbi into 1/4th inch thick circular slices.

  2. 2
    Preparing the flour blend for coating arbi
    • Mix Bengal gram flour (Chickpea flour), Rice Flour, Red chili powder, Cumin powder, Coriander powder, Salt, Turmeric powder in a flat plate or bowl
    • Dip each arbi slice into the flour so that the flour mixture coats the arbi evenly on both sides
    • Keep the flour-coated arbi in a separate plate
  3. 3
    Shallow frying the arbi
    • Heat oil in a flat bottom frying pan. Keep the heat on medium level
    • When the oil is hot, place the arbi slices one at a time. Let there be enough space between arbi slices so that they can fry uniformly.
    • Turn over the arbi slices after about 5 minutes so that each side is fried for about 5 minutes. 
    • Remove the fried arbi in a separate plate
  4. 4
    Preparing the Tadka (tempering)
    • Take a frying pan and add cooking oil. Keep the heat on medium level.
    • When the oil has warmed, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, and red chilis. Keep stirring for about one minute. 
    • Now add the turmeric, red chilli and Hing powders. Keep stirring
    • Add the Cumin powder, garam masala, Coriander powder, Salt and Amchur powder ( dried mango powder) ( you can also substitute amchur with Lime juice or tamarind paste)
    • Keep stirring for another 30 seconds and make sure that all spices have mixed well. Add chopped cilantro.
    • NOTE : The heat should be kept at medium level all through the cooking as you dont want the spices to get burnt
  5. 5
    Mixing the arbi with tadka
    • Add the fried arbi slices to the mixture of oil and spices, and mix gently to ensure that the spices have coated all slices uniformly. 
    • We dont want our arbi slices to be broken during the mixing process as they dont look nice while serving.
  6. 6
    Serving
    • Garnish the arbi masala with fresh chopped Cilantro
    • Fried arbi can be eaten as a snack or as a side dish with roti or rice.
Notes
  • Take care while boiling the arbi.  The arbi should not turn mushy as we want them to retain the shape when cut into slices. 
  • Fried arbi masala is best enjoyed when it is still hot and crispy. 

 

Keywords: Arbi, Fried, Spicy, Indian , Vegetarian
Read it online: https://www.mellowmasala.com/recipe/fried-arbi-masala/
Vinay Mummigatti

I love traveling, cooking, and reading. This blog is a reflection of my passion for cooking. Food is a representation of culture and I have tried to assimilate foods from different cultures across the world. I am an Indian by birth who moved to the USA 20 years back. I hope my recipes and articles bring new experiences and joy to the readers. Please share your comments and feedback.