Ol, also known as elephant foot yam, is often overlooked in home kitchens, but when cooked right, it can taste rich enough to fool your guests into thinking it is chicken. Here is a simple step by step method to turn this humble vegetable into a show stopping curry.
Boiling and Frying the Ol
Before it goes anywhere near the spices, the ol needs to be boiled thoroughly in water, because raw or undercooked ol leaves an itchy, irritating sensation in the mouth. Adding about two teaspoons of salt to the boiling water not only seasons the vegetable but also softens it enough to break apart easily. Once it is fully boiled, drain the pieces and deep fry them in hot oil until they turn golden and crisp. Set the fried ol aside in a separate bowl, since the next step is building a rich, spiced gravy around it.
Preparing the Spice Paste and Gravy
The real flavour of this dish comes from its spice blend. Grind together onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric, black pepper powder, chilli powder and meat masala into a smooth paste using a mixer. Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan, since the masala needs enough oil to fry properly. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds first, then bay leaves for the tempering, and follow it with the ground spice paste. Fry the masala on high heat until it starts releasing oil from the edges, then pour in two cups of water to start forming the gravy.
Final Touches and How to Serve
Once the water comes to a boil and the gravy thickens to the right consistency, stir in finely chopped coriander leaves. Add the deep fried ol pieces back into the gravy at this stage. Turn off the flame just two minutes later, because the ol is already cooked and fried, and leaving it in the gravy too long will cause it to fall apart. Serve the dish hot alongside steamed rice. For extra flavour, boiled and fried potatoes can also be added to the curry according to taste.
