Quick, simple and extremely delicious Seppankizhangu Roast – Chamadumpa Vepudu – Arbi Fry recipe with step-wise pictures and a lot of tips!
With the current lockdown situation, we are stocking up more of vegetables with longer shelf-life. Typically all tubers/root vegetables stay good for upto a month when stored in a well ventilated place and that’s why Potatoes and Colocasia/Taro Roots (Seppankizhangu – in Tamil, Chamadumpa – in Telugu, Arbi – in Hindi) Pre-covid, I always wanted my share of roasts and fry at least once a week. Now post-covid, we are making do with the available vegetables and the only good to come out of it is I am making roasts & fries a lot more. Having grown up eating this quite often during my childhood, I never thought a humble Seppankizhangu Roast would be one of the most asked recipes on my Instagram but after repeated requests, I clicked pictures.
I often make Potato fry/Bangaladumpa Vepudu, Baby Potato Roast, Karunai Kizhangu Varuval, Vazhakai Roast and along the same lines, Chamadumpa Vepudu/Seppankizhangu Roast is quite common. With this root vegetable, there are only two possibilities – you either love it or you hate it. Many people find an itch in their throat, like yam and that could be one of the reasons to not like it as much. When cooked right, it should not be itchy anymore unless you are allergic. It is also slightly tricky to make a roast with Seppankizhangu/Chamadumpa as it is very slimy. Read on to know how I prepare it before pan roasting it.
To make perfect Seppankizhangu Roast, cook the roots in enough water for 2 whistles on high flame. I have tried variations to it – boiling it in an open pot, pressure cooking without any water or just peeling off raw vegetable (I wouldn’t recommend this, as fingers could get real itchy) and I find that well-cooking the roots help in getting crispy roast. To keep off the slime, I usually dry the cut slices under fan for 10-15 mins. To get the golden crisp on the roast, using a heavy pan – preferably cast iron works the best. To be honest, I have used non-stick pan to get the same results. So what’s the difference?! The Arbi fry made on cast iron is super crispy and it stays crispier for a longer while. Check out the recipe below for more tips & tricks.
How to make Seppankizhangu Roast | Chamadumpa Vepudu | Arbi Fry
📖 Recipe
Seppankizhangu Roast | Chamadumpa Vepudu | Arbi Fry
MEASUREMENT
1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml
Ingredients
- 10-15 Seppankizhangu/Chamadumpa/Arbi
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- ½ - 1 teaspoon Sambar Powder adjust as needed
- Salt as needed
- Water as needed
Instructions
- Wash the Seppankizhangu/Chamadumpa/Arbi 2-3 times in running water to remove any dirt. Add water enough to cover the roots in a small pressure cooker.
- Pressure cook on high flame for 2 whistles and remove from heat. Let the pressure drop naturally.
- Cool down the roots and peel off the skin. Cut each root into 2-3 pieces of equal size.
- Now place the pieces on a large plate not touching one another and dry under fan for 10-15 mins.
- Meanwhile heat a cast iron pan and once it is hot, add oil. Coat the pan with oil.
- Carefully place the slices all around the pan and don’t disturb them for 3-4 mins.
- As the edges begin to turn golden, turn them to other side. Pieces at the center require more frequent turning.
- After each turn, don’t disturb them for a while.
- If there are pieces that are extremely soft, leave them around the edge of the pan for a few extra minutes. They will firm up and crisp evenly.
- Once the pieces turn golden and crispy on all sides, switch off the heat.
- Sprinkle sambar powder and salt. Mix well so that the pieces are coated well.
- Serve hot with rice and sambar, rasam or curd.
Detailed step-wise picture recipe of making Seppankizhangu Roast | Chamadumpa Vepudu | Arbi Fry
Wash the Seppankizhangu/Chamadumpa/Arbi 2-3 times in running water to remove any dirt. Add water enough to cover the roots in a small pressure cooker.
Pressure cook on high flame for 2 whistles and remove from heat. Let the pressure drop naturally.
Cool down the roots and peel off the skin. Cut each root into 2-3 pieces of equal size.
Now place the pieces on a large plate not touching one another and dry under fan for 10-15 mins. This help remove the slime to a greater extent.
Meanwhile heat a cast iron pan and once it is hot, add oil. Coat the pan with oil. It is important to get the pan heated first, else the pieces stick to the pan. Carefully place the slices all around the pan and don’t disturb them for 3-4 mins.
As the edges begin to turn golden, turn them to other side. Pieces at the center require more frequent turning.
After each turn, don’t disturb them for a while.
If there are pieces that are extremely soft, leave them around the edge of the pan for a few extra minutes. They will firm up and crisp evenly.
Once the pieces turn golden and crispy on all sides, switch off the heat. Sprinkle sambar powder and salt. Mix well so that the pieces are coated well.
Serve hot with rice and sambar, rasam or curd.
Recipe Notes
- Discard any roots that are too hard or have a tinge of green after cooking.
- If the roots are over cooked, they absorb more oil – resist the urge to turn them around frequently.
- Adjust the quantity of sambar powder depending on the spice preference. Red chilli powder can also be used in the place of sambar powder.
- Homemade Sambar Powder recipe here.
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂
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