A rustic tuber sold for just ₹40 a kilo in Ranchi markets is giving chicken and mutton a run for their money at the dinner table. Locally known as ol, this vegetable is cooked using a technique that makes its gravy nearly indistinguishable from a meat curry, and it has become a go-to dish for hosts looking to impress guests.
Ranchi's Signature Vegetable
Ol is a household favourite in Ranchi, where it turns up regularly on family menus. Usha, a homemaker from Ranchi, explains that the process starts with picking up fresh ol from the local market. It is widely available there at around ₹40 a kilo, and half a kilo is generally enough to comfortably feed six people. Once bought, the ol needs to be chopped into small pieces, but before it goes anywhere near the pan, there are two or three steps that cannot be skipped, or both the taste and texture will suffer.
Step One: Boiling It Right
The process begins by boiling the chopped ol thoroughly in hot water. Ol has a tendency to cause an itching or biting sensation in the mouth if it is not prepared correctly, so it needs to be boiled until it turns soft enough to break apart easily. Adding two teaspoons of salt to the boiling water at this stage both improves the flavour and helps tone down that irritating quality.
Step Two: The Deep Fry
Once the ol has boiled down properly, it should be taken out of the water and deep fried. It needs to fry until it turns a rich golden colour and gets crisp on the outside. After frying, it should be set aside in a separate container, because the next task is building the gravy it will eventually go back into.
Step Three: Building the Masala and Gravy
The gravy starts with a masala paste made from onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, cumin powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, chilli powder, meat masala and turmeric, all ground together in a mixer. A kadhai is then placed on the stove with a generous amount of oil, enough to properly fry the masala. A tempering of cumin seeds and bay leaves goes into the hot oil first, followed by the ground masala paste, which is fried until it is well cooked. Two cups of water are then stirred into the pan. Once the water comes to a boil and the gravy comes together, finely chopped coriander leaves are added, followed by the deep fried ol that had been kept aside earlier.
Final Step: Serving It Up
After the ol goes into the gravy, it only needs about two minutes on the heat before the pan comes off the stove. It should not be cooked for any longer than that, since the ol has already been boiled and fried and will start to break apart if it is overcooked. Once done, it is best served hot with rice. For extra flavour, boiled and fried potatoes can also be added to the dish according to taste.
