So after we made the Eriseri, we still had around half a yam and was wondering what to do with it when R suggested a dish they make in their village. R comes from a village in the northern part of India and this recipe is an earthy, rustic one.

Suran Matar

Ingredients:

• 1 cup elephants foot or yam, peeled and cubed into 1 inch pieces and kept aside
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp oil + oil to deep fry
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat the oil to deep fry in a deep bottomed pan and when hot, fry the cubed yam pieces until they are crisp. Keep aside on kitchen paper.
• In another pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and fry the cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, onions and tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes soften and turn mushy. Keep aside to cool and then blend to a fine paste.
• In the same pan, heat the balance oil and pour the onion tomato paste and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Now add all the dry spices – red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Add the peas and cook till the peas are almost cooked.
• Now add the fried yam and season with salt. Add any other seasoning if you need it.
• Let it cook for another 5 minutes. You can add water at this point to thin it to the consistency you want.
• Remove from the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with any Indian flatbread of your choice.