OL-CURRY

Ingredients

• 1 medium piece ol (elephant foot yam) (Also known as suran or jimikand. Peel thickly as the outer skin is rough and can cause irritation.)
• 2 medium potatoes (Any standard variety works well.)
• 1 as needed water (Used for boiling the ol and later for the curry gravy.)
• 1 a few drops lemon juice (Added to the boiling water for the ol to reduce its natural itchiness and bitterness.)
• 1 as needed for frying oil (Used to brown the ol and potatoes. A neutral oil such as mustard oil or sunflower oil works well.)
• 1 to taste powdered turmeric (Added to the curry water for colour and flavour.)
• 1 to taste coriander (Ground coriander powder is intended here.)
• 1 to taste pepper (Ground black pepper.)
• 1 to taste cumin (Ground cumin powder.)
• 1 to taste red chillies (Used both in the curry and in the tempering. Adjust quantity to your preferred heat level.)
• 1 to taste salt (Added with the spices to the curry water.)
• 1 a small amount for tempering oil or ghee (Used as the base for the tempering (tadka) poured over the finished curry.)
• 1 a few seeds panch foron (A Bengali whole spice blend of five seeds: fenugreek, nigella, cumin, black mustard, and fennel. Used for tempering.)
• 1 a few cassia leaves (Similar to bay leaves but with a warmer, slightly cinnamon-like aroma. Bay leaves can be used as a substitute.)
• 1 a small amount ghee (Stirred through at the very end for richness.)
• 1 to taste powdered garam masala (Added at the end for a warm, aromatic finish. Use a store-bought Bengali-style garam masala if available.)

Instructions

1. 1Using a sturdy knife or vegetable peeler, peel the skin off the ol (elephant foot yam) thickly — remove a generous layer, not just the surface. The outer skin is tough and can cause skin irritation, so consider wearing gloves if you have sensitive skin. Once peeled, rinse the yam under cold water.
2. 2Cut the peeled ol and the potatoes into large, chunky pieces — roughly 4–5 cm (about 2 inches) in size. Keeping them large ensures they hold together during cooking and give the curry a hearty texture.
3. 3Place the ol pieces in a pot and cover with water. Add a few drops of lemon juice — this helps reduce the natural itchiness of the yam. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the ol is just starting to soften but is not fully cooked. Carefully drain off all the water and set the ol pieces aside.
4. 4Heat a generous amount of oil in a wide pan or kadai over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the drained ol pieces and fry, turning occasionally, until they are golden-brown on the outside — about 5–7 minutes. This browning adds a rich, slightly caramelised flavour. Remove the browned ol from the pan and set aside.
5. 5In the same pan with remaining oil (add a little more if needed), fry the potato pieces over medium-high heat until they are golden-brown on the outside — about 5–7 minutes. Once browned, do not remove them from the pan. Add enough water to the pan to create a thick gravy (start with about 1–1.5 cups). Stir in the powdered turmeric, ground coriander, ground pepper, ground cumin, red chillies, and salt. Stir everything together and bring to a boil.
6. 6Once the potato and spice mixture comes to a boil, add the browned ol pieces back into the pan. Stir gently to combine. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until both the ol and potatoes are fully tender and the gravy has thickened and reduced to a thick, scanty consistency — about 10–15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. The finished curry should have very little sauce clinging to the vegetables.
7. 7In a small separate pan, heat the oil or ghee over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add a few panch foron seeds and let them splutter for about 30 seconds — you will hear them pop and smell their fragrance. Add the cassia leaves and a few red chillies and fry for another 30 seconds. Immediately pour this hot tempering over the curry in the main pan. Stir gently to incorporate the flavours throughout the dish.
8. 8Just before removing the pan from the heat, drizzle a small amount of ghee over the curry and sprinkle with powdered garam masala to taste. Stir gently once more to combine. The ghee adds richness and the garam masala gives a warm, fragrant aroma that rounds out the dish. Serve hot. Remember: the final curry should be thick with very little sauce.