Alu Wadi

Here's 1 more healthy & tasty recipe learnt from my dear Mom. Alu wadi is a traditional Maharashtrian side-dish and very easy to prepare:

7-8 Alu chi paane ( Colocasia leaves ),
A bowl of besan ( chick pea flour ),
salt as per taste,
red chilly powder as per taste,
tamarind pulp 2 teaspoons or as per taste,
jaggery 1 teaspoon or as per taste,
oil 2 teaspoons,
usual tadka material i.e. mustard seeds, asafoetida & turmeric powder.

1) Wash & clean the colocasia leaves.
2) Make a thick paste of besan, 1 teaspoon oil & water. Add salt, red chilly powder, tamarind pulp & jaggery to the besan paste & mix well.
3) Take a group of 3-4 colocasia leaves. Keep the largest of them on a flat surface, with its shining surface facing upwards. Apply the besan paste to this leaf into a thin layer. Keep another leaf on top of this & apply besan paste again. Likewise do it for all the leaves.



4) Roll the collection from its root side to its tip and every time apply a little paste on the clean surface of the leaf that comes up.
5) Steam the roll for about 15 mins in a pressure cooker without its whistle. When completely cooked, the dough will not be sticky & the leaves will look cooked.
6) Cut circular pieces of the roll about 1 cm wide. The Alu wadi is ready to be eaten with or without tadka.
7) Heat the remaining oil, add mustard seeds and wait till they splutter. Add asafoetida & turmeric powder. Pour this tadka over the alu wadis.
8) Garnish with chopped coriander and/or fresh grated coconut.