Chamakura Pappu (Arvi Daal):
The taro root I planted in May has now grown to a decorative type of plant with beautiful looking leaves. Growing taro at home turned out to be an easy process. I have planted small variety taro similar to what we see around Nandyala region, India (which is different from the elephant or giant type taro). I placed a healthy looking taro root in a container and loosely covered it with soil. Kept the container in patio where the sun shines and watered it daily. In just two months, around July, a young shoot appeared. Now the plant has six healthy looking leaves and thriving.
My taro growing fancy is mainly for taro leaves. The leaves are perfectly edible plus they are nutritious. We use only young leaves for cooking. With unique flavor and great taste, young taro leaves are easily likable. Back at home in Nandyala, my mother prepares two recipes with young taro leaves – a spinach style curry, where the blanched and finely chopped leaves are sautéed with onions and second is a flavorful dal where the taro leaves are steamed with toor dal. Dal has been invariably my favorite taro leaf preparation and is our meal today.
Taro Plant (Chama Dumpa Mokka, Arvi Plant) ~ for Green Blog Project
Recipe:
Toor dal – 1 cup
Young taro leaves – 4 (about the size of ping-pong paddle), finely chopped
1 small onion and 6 green chillies – coarsely chopped
Tamarind pod – about the size of a small finger, seeds removed
¼ teaspoon turmeric
Take them all in a pressure cooker. Add about two cups of water and cook until the dal reaches fall-apart stage. Once the valve pressure is released, remove the lid and add half teaspoon of salt to the cooked contents. Mix, and gently mash the dal to soft consistency with wood masher or immersion blender. Set aside.
Now do the tadka: In a small pot, heat a tablespoon of oil or ghee over a medium-hot burner. Add a teaspoon of minced garlic, a sprig of fresh curry leaves. Toast them to pale brown. Then add a pinch each – cumin, mustard seeds and asafoetida. Stir and wait for the mustard seeds to pop. This process is called tadka.
Add the mashed dal to the tadka contents and mix thoroughly. Serve the dal over rice or chapati with a teaspoon of ghee drizzled in for a scrumptious meal.
Taro Leaves Dal with Mirchi Bajji and Chickpea Guggullu ~ Meal Today
Recipe Source: Amma, Nandyala
Hi Indira,
What a different dal recipe. Can I find this Taro leaves in grocery shop? Never heared of chamadupala leaves. I heard of making dal with munga aacu….but never tried.
I miss reading your recipes daily. Today I just came to see your sunnidalu recipe and u posted the new post. So nice to see u back again and giving the pleasure to see beutiful pictures.
Comment by laxmi — September 25, 2007 @ 9:31 pm
Ah! the countless yummy things that we can use this great leaf for! Thanks Indira, for sharing this.
Comment by musical — September 25, 2007 @ 10:47 pm
Indira Gaaru,
Chamakura pappu looking mouth watering.
My sister got Engg seat in Nandyal RGIT college.
Thanks & Best Regards,
Vijaya
Comment by Vijaya — September 25, 2007 @ 10:59 pm
Woow Indira. You are just tooo creative. Growing Taro at home…never even thought of it. My mom makes Taro leaves pockets – pockets filled with stuffing and steamed. Tastes really good. Once the leaves are plucked, do we have to place new taros for the plant to grow? Thanks. I would try growing it as I really like the taste of it and I do miss it. Regards n Cheers/Nina
Comment by Nina — September 25, 2007 @ 11:02 pm
Hi Indira gaaru,
Chamakura pappu looks awesome…I found these leaves in the grocery stores but was not sure how to cook them…Thanks for posting the recipe…’ll try it soon..
Comment by Keerthi — September 25, 2007 @ 11:55 pm
Wow, such a unique recipe. I am seeing this dal for the first time. Do we get these leaves in local markets in India??
Comment by Timepass — September 26, 2007 @ 1:16 am
pappu chala bagundee. amma vantaa gurtuku vachindi..
Comment by Madhavi — September 26, 2007 @ 2:40 am
Hi Indira,
I have seen Taro leaves in US,my mouth is watering. My mom used to make Chamakura muddakura with senagapindi.This combination goes with plain white rice , chamakura muddakura and gummadi vadiyalu.
Radhi
Comment by radhi — September 26, 2007 @ 7:20 am
je ne sais pas si tu comprends le francais, mais ton site est pittoresque de voyages et d’envie de le parcourir
Comment by ELEONORE — September 26, 2007 @ 1:41 pm
brilliant! taro dhal! we make pathrode with taro leaves never heard of anything else…then again my understanding of regional indian food is limited. Should we not be careful with this leaf coz sometime we get itchy throat due to some chemical in it.
Comment by freshma — September 26, 2007 @ 4:05 pm
Wow! You always have something new and different to post in your website. I’ve always had taro root roast. but never ever thought that the leaves were edible too.
Keep it coming Indira! We love this website
Thanks
Comment by Lakshmi — September 26, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
Hi Indira,
Chamakura pappu looks delicious.
Vijaya.
Comment by Daily Meals — September 26, 2007 @ 7:39 pm
We use the taro leaf in a variety of dishes too including dal.
I love your food!
Comment by Cynthia — September 26, 2007 @ 7:44 pm
Hi Indira.. I must try this dal with taro leaves.. Back home in Mangalore, we use the shoots of the taro to make a dish called “alu-dento”.. that tastes very good too…
Comment by Mary — September 26, 2007 @ 9:03 pm
Hi Indiragaru.. i used to wonder hoe taro leaves will taste with toor dal… Glad to know it a tried, tested adn devoured recipe from your childhood days!!
Comment by priya dilip — September 26, 2007 @ 10:19 pm
unique recipe, indira! it sounds delicious…you have a great website!!!
Comment by lissie — September 28, 2007 @ 8:32 am
Dear Indira,
I have been a regular visitor to your site for the last six months. I cannot put in words how much joy i experience looking at the recipes, explainations and the pictures that you provide. I love cooking and trying new stuff and find great excitement looking at your productions. I have prepared some of your recipes like stuffed gulab jamun, avacado parathas,mamidi-nuvvual kura, etc but most importantly i am very much inspired by your postings. I too give utmost importance to traditional cooking with ingredients like bellam, sprouts, allam, etc.
Keep up the good work. Best wishes to you and Vijay.
This recipe is nice. I am not sure if this is the good time to start growing chaama here in bay area but next spring i will put it in my garden definitely:-)
Thanks.
Comment by Madhuri — September 28, 2007 @ 1:34 pm
Indira,never knew that we could taro leaves, as kids it used be fun playing with leaves to see who holds the most water in them. this is a must try
Comment by sreelu — September 28, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
Great recipe Indira, I love this too..My mother makes it often in India… along with patoli .. Bee did give me the idea of growing taro at home. Nice of way doing it in the patio.. Its good to be back!
Comment by Dee — September 29, 2007 @ 10:56 am
This is fascinating. I happen to grow many taro plants but have never thought of eating them… especially funny considering I have eaten taro leaf in the past. There is a Mexican restaurant that services taro leaf enchiladas and they were simply delicious!
Comment by Evil J — September 29, 2007 @ 2:36 pm
Hi Laxmi: I have seen these leaves locally at Chinese and Japanese grocery shops. Also at Indian grocery shops, frozen section. Patra or patoli, I don’t remember the name exactly.
I was preoccupied with some other things, not able to focus attention on blogging lately. Now hopefully back to business. Wish me luck.:)
You are most welcome, Musical.
Congratulations Vijaya gaaru.
My family lives at Nandyala. If you need help or info, please do not hesitate to mail me. Please convey our wishes to your sister.
Hi Nina: Steamed and stuffed, like pathrode?
I just plucked these leaves for the dal. I think new shoots will appear in place of old ones.
Thanks Keerthi and Madhavi.
Timepass: we used to get them from ritu bazaars in Nandyala.
Radhi: Chaamakura muddakura baaga anipistondi. Ela chestaaru? Talimpu petti, aakulu vesi, veyinchi, sanagapindi kaluputaara? Kobbara kuda veyala?
Meeru recipe ivvandi, nenu tappakunda chestaanu. Thanks Radhi.
Eleonore: Merci de vos mots gentils au sujet de mon site Web.
Freshma: I came to know about pathrode, because of fellow food bloggers only.
Usually blanching helps, also cooking with tender and young leaves also would prevent such reactions, I think.
Lakshmi and Vijaya: Thanks.
Hi Cynthia: Looks like we share many things culinarywise, which is a good thing.:)
Hi Mary: I would love to try this recipe with taro shoots. How do you prepare it? Thanks in advance.
Priya: It’s a good dal recipe. Give it a try.
Lissie: Thanks.
Madhuri: Thank you for your appreciative words. Happy browsing and cooking!
Sreelu: Yes, we used to play that game too.:)
They are like pond lily leaves.
Hi Dee, it’s great to see you back. Take care.
Evil J: Before preparing this recipe, I actually did a search on your website for new taro recipe idea. The local Vietnamese/Korean grocery shop carries fresh taro leave bundles.
Taro leaf Enchilada sounds great. I have to try that one.:)
Comment by Indira — September 29, 2007 @ 8:57 pm
Hi Indira gaaru,
Thanks for your wishes for my sister. She joined in hostel, but she feels little bit home sick. Since we are from Adoni and it is near to Nandyal my mother will manage her.
Any tourist spot near to Nandyal?
Thanks & Regards,
Vijaya
Comment by Vijaya — September 29, 2007 @ 11:18 pm
I love the color and just the general *look* of the taro leaves, Indira. Leave it to you to plant a root in a pot and get that.
Happy one-year Seattle anniversary.
Time flies, my friend 🙂
Comment by Linda — September 30, 2007 @ 12:49 am
Yes Indira..I guess they are called Pathrod. But as in Telugu we used to call Chamagadda potlalu:) Hope you are having a great weekend. Cheers/Nina
Comment by Nina — September 30, 2007 @ 10:08 am