Chepan kizhangu Masiyal (Mashed Arbi /Taro root)

I was working from home a few days ago, and decided to make use of the time at home to cook a proper lunch:). Proper lunch to me means, rice with sambar/Kuzhambu + some vegetable curry. I made Puzhi kuzhambu+ one of the chettinad specialities, Chepan kizhangu masiyal.

A picture of this masiyal does not really look very nice. Even when u serve it might look kind of odd, but trust me what it lacks in looks it more than makes up in its taste.

The recipe is quite simple. One recommendation though, to get that special chettinad taste, you should definitely use- Saunf, Garlic , Tamarind and Sambar powder in this recipe.

Required Ingredients:

Boiled and peeled arbi- Cut them into the size shown in the picture
I used 5 arbis for this recipe- I generally microwave them for about 15-20 mins in a glass bowl with water. You don’t have to worry about this getting overcooked, as it will be semi-mashed later on, anyways.

1 Onion - Finely chopped
1.5 tomatoes- Coarsely chopped
Garlic- 3-4garlic pods, finely chopped (depends on your tolerance level for garlic taste)
Sambar powder- 2 - 2 1/2 teaspoons (depending on your taste)
Turmeric Powder- A pinch
Salt – According to your taste
An inch of Tamarind –Soak it in a few drops of water and microwave it for around 30secs and make a paste out of it (Or 1/2- 1 spoon of readymade tamarind paste).
1 or 1.5 slit green chillies- (optional)



For Tempering:
Oil – Preferably Indian Sesame oil
Urad dal-1 teaspoon
Saunf- 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons
Red Chillies- 1 or 2
Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon
Heeng- A pinch
Curry leaves



Use a heavy bottomed vessel, as cooked arbi gets stuck to the pan.

Add 2-3 spoons of oil to the pan and temper with urad dal, saunf, heeng, red chillies, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. Once mustard seeds splutter, add chopped garlic, onion and slit green chillies.

Saute until onion is slightly browned. Add chopped tomatoes and saute them for a few minutes. Finally add turmeric powder, sambar powder, tamarind pulp and then arbi.

Close the lid and let it cook for 15-20 minutes. Open the lid and stir intermittently, to prevent arbi from getting stuck to the pan. Add some more oil if you want your arbi to be little crispier. Taste and adjust spice/tanginess level.

Enjoy it with rice and some gravy or with Rotis. I must say that it tastes best with the quintessential curd rice.