Crispy, shallow fried colocasia tubers in spicy side dishes (Maddi tambut, maddi adgai, maddi koot)

Crispy, shallow fried colocasia tubers in spicy side dishes (Maddi tambut, maddi adgai, maddi koot)

Colocasia tubers are a Konkani favourite. They are called as maddi or kale alva maddi in Konkani. Colocasia tubers have a special place in Konkani cuisine and are adored, as they are seasonal. 

A number of colocasia tuber delicacies are part of Konkani cuisine. Maddi phodi - shallow fried and deep fried colocasia tuber fritters are the most popular ones. Maddi sukke, also called as bon in Konkani are also a favourite. Maddi koot is a coconut based, flavourful, spicy, side dish that’s popularly prepared in Konkani households. Maddi tambut/adgai, is a Konkani style spicy pickle that is craved for & is absolutely delish. Both make a delicious meal when they are enjoyed with steaming hot rice, curd rice or a bowl of congee (pyej in Konkani).

Colocasia tuber is finely diced and is shallow fried with oil until they are crispy. These crispy colocasia tubers are added into a flavourful coconut chutney and the dish is then called maddi koot in Konkani (the orange bowl in the pic below). When these crispy, shallow fried colocasia tubers are added to a spicy Konkani style pickle, the dish is then called maddi tambut/maddi koot/adgai in Konkani. They are almost similar recipes with slight differences. Koot (chutney based side dish) uses grated coconut & fenugreek seeds which aren’t added to tambut/adgai (pickle). That makes a world of difference in the end dish and it's taste. These are both usually served as side dishes for lunch and dinner. Sharing both these recipes below. 


Maddi koot (Crispy, shallow fried colocasia tubers in a flavourful coconut chutney)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup diced peeled, colocasia tuber
  • 3/4 cup grated coconut
  • 5-6 dried red chillies
  • 1 lemon sized tamarind
  • A pinch of crystal asafoetida (toor dal sized)
  • A pinch of turmeric powder
  • 6 fenugreek seeds
  • 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
  • Salt to taste
  • 5-6 tablespoons of oil

For tempering:

  • 2 tablespoons of oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
  • 2 leaflets of curry leaves

Serves: 2-4 

Preparation Time: 40 minutes


Method of Preparation:

Prepping colocasia tuber:

  1. Colocasia tubers are known for the itching they produce once your skin comes in contact with them. Take a little care while prepping them. Apply tamarind water, lemon juice to your hands before chopping colocasia tuber to prevent itching.
  2. Peel colocasia tuber, then dice them into small pieces. 
  3. Then wash them only if needed, to remove off any dirt sticking to them. Hold them in a strainer under tap water, without bringing your hand in contact with colocasia tuber dices. Then strain out all the water.
  4. Once colocasia tuber comes in contact with water, it itches your skin if it gets in touch. So, wash it only after you chop it.
  5. Even after taking such care there are chances that your hands will itch from the contact before washing them. Apply tamarind water/lemon juice to your hands to stop the itching. Apply a thick layer of tamarind juice/lemon juice, leave it for 5 minutes and then wash it off.
  6. Add salt to diced colocasia tubers and toss them well without using your hands, to mix well.
  7. Keep them aside for 15 minutes so that they take in salt.
  8. After 15 minutes, heat up 4 tablespoons of oil in a non stick frying pan
  9. Add in peeled, diced, colocasia tubers into it, without using your hands. Saute and fry them on medium heat until they are uniformly fried through and until they get crispy. Add more oil if needed to fry them. Make sure you fry them through or else they'll cause itching in your mouth and throat on eating.
  10. Once the colocasia pieces are almost fried, add in salt if needed. Add salt, mix well and then remove it off heat. 
  11. Let them cool completely. Meanwhile prepare the masala. 

Preparing the ground masala and then maddi koot:

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a tempering pan. Add in crystal asafoetida, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, dried red chillies broken into pieces, turmeric powder and fry them on medium heat for 2 minutes.
  2. Let them cool down completely. 
  3. Once cooled, grind them into a smooth paste along with grated coconut, tamarind, a little salt, (be careful as to not add much, fried colocasia already has salt in it) using just as much water as required to make a paste. We need a thick coconut chutney. 
  4. Transfer the ground masala into a bowl and then season it. 
  5. Tempering: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a tempering pan. Add in mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add in curry leaves and let them sizzle.
  6. Add this seasoning to the ground chutney in the bowl, mix well and keep it aside until you serve.
  7. Just before serving add in fried colocasia pieces and mix well. This way you get to enjoy crispy colocasia pieces in chutney. Or else, they get soft and soggy when they are left in the chutney for long. 
  8. If you like eating soft colocasia pieces then go ahead and add them in earlier. 10-15 minutes should be enough to soak them and get them soft. They are a pleasure to eat even when they are soft.
  9. Serve maddi koot as a side dish for lunch, dinner. You can also eat your bowl of rice, congee, curd rice along with it. Makes a delicious meal!



Maddi tambut/adgai (Shallow fried, crispy, colocasia tubers in a Konkani style pickle)

Some Konkani's also call this dish as maddi koot in Konkani.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup diced, peeled, colocasia tuber
  • 5-6 dried red chillies
  • 1 lemon sized tamarind
  • A pinch of crystal asafoetida (toor dal sized)
  • A pinch of turmeric powder
  • 6 fenugreek seeds
  • Salt to taste
  • 4-5 tablespoons of oil

For tempering:

  • 1 tablespoon of oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
  • 1 leaflet of curry leaves

Serves: 2-4 

Preparation Time: 35 minutes


Method of Preparation:

Prepping colocasia tuber:

Refer to the steps mentioned above. All steps remain the same.

Preparing the ground masala and then maddi tambut/adgai:

  1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a tempering pan. Add in crystal asafoetida, fenugreek seeds, dried red chillies broken into pieces, turmeric powder and fry them on medium heat for 2 minutes.
  2. Then let them cool down completely. 
  3. Once cooled, grind them into a smooth paste along with tamarind, a little salt (be careful as to not add much, fried colocasia already has salt in it) using as little water as possible to make a paste. We need a thick paste/pickle.
  4. Transfer the ground masala/pickle into a bowl and then season it. 
  5. Tempering: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a tempering pan. Add in mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add in curry leaves and let them sizzle. 
  6. Add this seasoning to the ground pickle in the bowl, mix well and keep it aside until you serve.
  7. Just before serving add in fried colocasia pieces and mix well. This way you get to enjoy crispy colocasia pieces in the pickle. Or else, they get soft and soggy when they are left in the pickle for long. 
  8. If you like eating soft colocasia pieces then go ahead and add them in earlier. 10-15 minutes should be enough to soak them and get them soft. They are a pleasure to eat even when they are soft.
  9. Serve maddi tambut/adgai as a side dish for lunch, dinner. You can also eat your bowl of rice, congee, curd rice along with it. It’s spicy and yummm!

Side Note:

The season's during which you can't find colocasia tubers, you can use bitter gourds (karathe), elephant foot yam (suran), teasel gourds (phagil) to make this koot and tambut/adgai.


Other colocasia tuber side dishes:

Shallow Fried Colocasia Tuber (Maaddi Phodi)

Taro Roots Fritters (Kaale Alvaa Maddi Phodi)

Taro Root Spicy Side Dish (Kale Alva Maddi Sukke, Bon)


Find more Konkani cuisine side dishes here


Tags: Colocasia tubers, kale alva maddi, maddi, koot, tambut, adgai, Konkani cuisine, Konkani food, Konkani recipe, lunch, dinner,GSB Konkani recipe, vegan, vegetarian recipe, South Canara Konkani recipe, Konkani cooking, GSB Konkani cuisine.