Suran Fodi or Rava Fried Elephant Foot Yam

Suran Fodi or Rava Fried Elephant Foot Yam is another delicacy from Goa. We serve it as an accompaniment with the vegetarian thali in Goa. Yam is normally found in the Goan markets during the rainy season. People make variety of dishes with yam like suran tonak or suran oosali and love the yummy taste. Suran is a tuber and this tuber should never be eaten raw and should be cooked properly.

I remember, in Goa this Suran used to grow in our backyard in my childhood and Mom used to take us to see that and tell us the similarities between elephant foot and this yam. Even now it grows in some places of Goa. During rainy season, you would see lots of ladies from the villages selling suran and other organic vegetables along the road-side on the highways passing through the forests of Goa. Most of the local vehicles stop and purchase these from the village ladies.

Suran tends to itch and hence soaking it in salt and later applying tamarind to it is important. Even while cutting it, apply tamarind paste or coconut oil to your hands. They are a good source of energy, carbohydrates and dietary fiber. It is rich in antioxidants and is an excellent source of vitamin B-complex.

Shallow fry the rava coated yam and serve it during snack time or as an accompaniment with rice, kelyachi bhaji and amlechi uddamethi.

Ingredients:                   Prep. Time: 2 hrs( includes soaking time), Serves: 4
250 grams elephant foot yam/suran
2 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
4 tablespoon oil for shallow frying

For the coating:
2 tablespoon Rava/semolina
1 tablespoon rice flour
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1) Apply coconut oil to your palm and then using a kitchen knife, cut the thick skin from the yam and discard.

2) Cut the yam into thin slices. The thickness should be almost 1/2 centimeter.

3) Soak the yam slices in 2 cups water to which 1 tablespoon salt has been added. Let them be soaked for atleast 1 hour.

4) Wash them after 1 hour under running water preferably RO water and apply tamarind paste and leave them aside for 30 Minutes.

5) After 30 Minutes, apply 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

6) Mix the ingredients meant for coating, which is rava, rice flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt.

7) Heat a tava/frying pan and drizzle 2 tablespoon oil on it.

8) Coat the masala coated yam/suran slices in the ingredients meant for coating and spread them on the frying pan.

8) Drizzle 2 tablespoon oil on top of these and fry for 10 Min's.

After 10 Min's flip them to the other side and again fry for 15 Min's.

Note: Always cook the yam by covering the pan of the frying pan.
You can sprinkle 1 tablespoon water on the yam slices while they are getting fried.
Application of coconut oil or tamarind pulp to your palm ensures that your fingers do not itch while cleaning yam.
It is very important to soak the yam slices in salt water and later apply concentrated tamarind pulp to it. This removes the itchiness form the elephant foot yam if there is any.

For other rava fried recipes, click here.