Sukhi Arbi/ Pan fried Taro Root/Chembu mezukuverati

My fondest memory of Chennai – riding at night on my sisters hand me down black Kinetic Honda, with my then house mate, now best friend, V, on the broad shady roads of Besant Nagar(?). The caressing hint of the warm sea intoxicating our senses, and we reveled being young and hopeful of the entire future lying ahead of us.

My best experience of Chennai – the sweet sweet taste of freedom, away from my fuddy-duddy mother’s over protective claws, experimenting, faulting and learning on my own.

My  best peeps in Chennai – Guruji and Babuda, renowned musicians and loving couple. Laughed, cried, argued and spent great many lazy Sunday evenings stretching and dozing on their divans and carpets, tummies stuffed with Guruji’s scrumptious cooking.

My expensive pass time in Chennai- shopping till we spent every cent in every cranny of my wallet. Couldn’t help that. My over flowing wardrobe always had nothing for me to wear.

My preferred eat out in Chennai – Gujurati Mandal, Babuda’s introduction, where they offered all you can eat taalis. Apparently they don’t offer them any more. Guess whom you have to blame for that ?

My everyday life in Chennai – over worked and under paid, but loving every minute of it.

Something that happened in Chennai that I’ve never cared to mention before – V taught me to cook.

Three things I will never forget about Chennai – weather, water and work

Regrets about Chennai – none.

Though I spent less than 2 years in that city, I could gnaw your ears off, have your eyes pop out and your hair turn white with boredom or old age (which ever comes first), telling you all about it. Unlike the popular perception of snooty Bangloreans, Chennai to me is etched as a beautiful memory. I cherish every minute I spent there. From experience I’ve realized, a place is only as beautiful or as ugly, as your frame of mind. I was much younger then, the city was my oyster and every nook of it was an adventure waiting for me to explore. I loved the people, educated and hard working, the culture, rich and vibrant, the politicians for their part, provided me with adequate comic relief and the food, I could never tire of.

So, for all the above reasons, the first thing I learnt to cook from V in Chennai, something she’d picked up from Guruji, has a tender significance for me. Over the years I’ve modified and altered the seasoning only to fit tastes and situations. The spices have remained the same, just simple turmeric, coriander and green chilies.
Some of the combination for the seasonings I’ve tried and liked – curry leaves and black mustard with a pinch of asafoetida – cumin(jeera) with a pinch of carum(ajwain) and amchoor(dried mango) and my most favorite, plain fennel seeds and a pinch of amchoor. This goes very well with rotis and some tangy lemon pickles.

Ingredients

1 lb arbi /taro root
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp carum/ajwain
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander  powder
1/4 tsp amchoor/ dry mango powder
pinch of asafoetida
lots of green chilies chopped (this is what makes the dish interesting, in my opinion)
2-3 tbsp of refined vegetable oil
salt to taste

Directions

Cook arbi in salted water in a pressure cooker.

Cool, peal and slice them into circular discs. 

Heat oil in a shallow wide pan in high flame.

Add asafoetida, fennel,carum and green chilies.

Saute for a minute.

Reduce the flame to low and add turmeric, coriander and amchoor and saute for a minute or two. 

Increase the flame to medium high and place the arbi in the pan making sure every slice touches the floor of the pan.

Sprinkle more salt only if necessary.

Turn over the arbi when one side is nicely caramelized

 Switch of the flame when all the slices are carmelized on both sides.

Serve hot with Rotis