Kalan

Ingredients

• - 400g yam and raw banana in yogurt-coconut
• - 1 fresh coconut (thick and thin milk extracted)
• - 2 tbsp coconut oil
• - 2 shallots
• - 2 green chillies
• - 1/2 inch ginger
• - 1 sprig curry leaves
• - 1/4 tsp turmeric
• - Salt to taste

Method

1. Prepare yam: Peel 200g elephant yam (chena). Cut into small cubes. Parboil in salted water with turmeric 5 minutes. Drain.
2. Make coconut paste: Blend 1 cup fresh grated coconut, 4 green chillies and 1 tsp cumin to a smooth paste.
3. Cook yam in coconut: Add yam to coconut paste in a pan with half cup water. Cook on medium heat 8-10 minutes until fully tender.
4. Whisk yogurt: Whisk 2 cups thick fresh yogurt with half tsp turmeric until smooth.
5. Reduce heat to minimum: Lower heat completely before adding yogurt.
6. Add yogurt: Add whisked yogurt to the yam-coconut mixture. Stir gently and continuously.
7. Heat without boiling: Keep stirring on very low heat 4-5 minutes until kalan thickens. Never boil.
8. Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds. When they pop add half tsp fenugreek seeds, 2 dried red chillies and curry leaves.
9. Add tempering: Pour over the kalan. Mix gently.
10. Serve: Adjust salt. Kalan should be thick, creamy and tangy. Serve as part of Onam Sadhya.