Arvi ka Salan – Taro Root Stir Fry Recipe

Arvi or Taro root is one of my fave vegetables, it tastes like a slightly earthier version of potatoes and is delicious. It was one of my favorites even as a child, because you traditionally cut it into long matchsticks, and I always felt like I was eating French fries. My go to way of eating Arvi is creating a kind of Pakistani stir-fry, called a salan. We eat this Taro Root Stir Fry Recipe accompanied by roti or flatbread.

Ingredients

1 kg of arvi (taro root)
1 litre of oil (for frying)
4 onions
2 large tomatoes
5 green chilies (jalapenos)
½ teaspoon Garam Masala
4 Tbsp. grams of ghee
¼ tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp dried coriander powder
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp. ground ginger paste
1 tbsp. ground garlic paste
Salt 1 tsp (or to taste)
Red Chilli Powder 1 tsp (or to taste)
Fresh coriander

Instructions For Taro Root Recipe

Prepare the Ingredients:
- Peel and cut the onions into thin strips.
- Chop the tomatoes into cubes and cut the green chilies, thinly slice the coriander.
- Peel the arvi (taro root) and cut into French fry shapes. Peeling and cutting taro root (arvi) into French fry shapes can be a bit tricky because taro root has a sticky texture and can cause skin irritation for some people. A tip is to peel the roots before washing, and then wash once, and dry them for half an hour on a paper towe before attempting to cut, as they can be slimy otherwise. Cut in half lengthwise for stability, then slice into 1/4 to 1/2-inch planks and cut into strips for fries.
Frying the Arvi:
- Heat up the oil in a wok to around 190-200°C. Fry the Arvi in batches of 1/3 kg, until light golden brown.
- Take out into a bowl after draining lightly with a strainer, you don’t need to drain on a paper towel.
Cooking the Dish:
- Heat the ghee in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add the thinly sliced onions to the pan and fry them until they turn golden brown.
- Add the masala (tomatoes, chilies, ginger, Garam Masala, corianger powder, turmeric, salt, black pepper, red chilli powder, and garlic) to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
- Add a half cup of water, let simmer and cook down until the tomatoes have almost disintegrated, about 5 more minutes.
- Once the water has evaporate and the oil has separated from the stewing spices, add all of the arvi in at once and mix well. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the arvi is fully incorporated and the flavors have melded together.
- Sprinkle on the fresh coriander and mix once before turning off the heat.
- Serve the dish hot with rice or flatbread (roti/naan).