Vazhakkai-Raw Plantain Seppankezhangu-Taro root kootu

I always have a liking to try out traditional recipes that comes through generations. This recipe was given to my mom by her mother in law and now to me by my mom. I keep pestering my mother to write down all the recipes that she has learnt over a period of…I guess almost 45years of cooking! But so humbly she would say….”Naan enna perusa panitten ellarum pannathatha….” But look at me! I would make such a simple thing and I would immediately call her up and boast about it! Yuck………………..And still she would give me all due credits and applause and I think that’s what keeps me going each day!

Now to the recipe.

1 medium sized vazhaikkai (Raw plantain) (Peel and cut into small cubes)
3-4 seppankezhangu (Taro root)
2 teaspoon freshly made sambar powder
1 small gooseberry sized tamarind, soaked and squeezed
1 teaspoon mustard seeds, urad dal, pinch of hing, spring of curry leaves, 1 teaspoon oil for tempering
1 cup soaked, boiled karamani (Or any kind of bean)
2 cups water

To grind:
2 tablespoon cumin seeds (jeera)
3 tablespoon grated coconut

Method:
1. Boil seppankezhangu with salt. Cool, peel, cut into small chunks and keep aside.
2. Now add 1 tsp oil to a kadai and when hot temper with mustard seeds, urad dal, hing and cury leaves.
3. Vazhaikkai, little turmeric and saute a little. Then add salt, water, tamarind extract, sambar powder and cook on medium flame until vazhaikkai is cooked to 3/4th.
4. Then add boiled karamani, boiled and cubed seppankezhangu and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Add the cumin-coconut paste, cook until raw smell of jeera fades. Serve hot with paruppu/dal rice.