Aavabettina Kandagadda/Yam in mustard curry

Yam in English, Kandagadda in Telugu, suvarna gadde in Kannada and Suran in Hindi is a popular root vegetable. A traditional Andhra recipe.

Preparation time: 30-45 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Yam (kandagadda) 1 kilo
Green chillies 15
Refined cooking oil 4 tsp
Black gram (urad dal/uddipappu) 1 tsp
Mustard seeds (rai/aavalu) 4 tsp (50 gms)
Cumin seeds (jeera/jeelakarra) 1 tsp
Curry leaves 4-5
Red Chillies 2
Salt to taste

Method:

Grease the knife, peeler and your palms with oil before chopping the yam (Else you end up with itching and rashes).

Peel, chop and boil the yam until soft for around 20 mins. If using a pressure cooker, cook up to 3 whistles.

Soak the mustard seeds for around 15 mins. Slit the green chillies. Grind to a fine paste the mustard seeds and green chillies.

Drain the water from the boiled yam and set aside.

Heat oil in a pan/kadai (Bandli/mookudu). Add a few mustard seeds and as they pop, add the cumin seeds, red chillies and black gram. Add the boiled yam and mix. Add curry leaves and heat for around 5 mins.

Set aside to cool. Once the yam is at room temperature, add the green chilli-mustard paste, salt to taste and mix.

Aavabetinna Kandagadda is a great rice supplement. Enjoy with ghee topped hot rice.