With the first few showers of rain, you get a variety of interesting leafy vegetables which are available just for a short time. One such vegetable is Dragon Stalk Yam which is mainly available just before the monsoons begin. Though you do get it during the rains too though the ones you get just before the rains are said to be tastier.
Amorphophallus Commutatus.
English-Dragon Stalk Yam; Marathi- Shevale, Mogari Kanda; Hindi-Jungli Suran
It consists of a single stalk with a spathe (leaf kind of structure) and a beautiful hollow spadix (pod/bud) inside. The colour of the spadix determines the stage of maturity/ development.
Very few vegetable vendors keep this wild food mainly because not many today are aware of this vegetable or eat it.
When you buy it, buy it from a known vendor. It can stay in the fridge for 3-4 days but it’s best to be used fresh.
*If you are in Mumbai some of the places where you will easily get this are in the Virar, Vasai, Palghar, Borivali, Goregaon, and Dadar markets.
It has a very earthy, meaty taste. Not everyone likes it since it’s an acquired flavor.
Not much literature is available about the nutritional content but it sure is high in fiber.
*Shevale is very common in the Pathare Prabhu cuisine but unlike us, they do not use kakda. They prepare shevale with sode (prawns).
Recipe:
Ingredients:
Shevale- 1 ½ cups, finely chopped
Kakda- ¾ cup, finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste-2 tbsp
Cumin-1 tsp
Red chilli powder- 1-2 tsp
Meat Masala/ Garam Masala-1-2 tsp
Salt-as per taste
Kokum (aagal) -1 tsp * or use tamarind a little bit
Oil-2 tsp
Ground to paste:
Coconut-1 cup
Green Chili-2
Procedure:
References:
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Congratulations Aditi Prabhu madam, excellent method to popularize RNBHAJYA .e. wild vegetables that are NUTRITIVE!
Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. Really means alot
Nicely explained.
Very well explained. It is also common in the SKP (somvanshi kshatriya pathare) cuisine, though they use tamarind instead of kokum.
Very well written blog.
Would love to try though I am sure won't get it in goa.. Nevertheles you are there I know😉.. Honestly had no clue about it, first time I came across something new and informative specially the way it has to be handled
Nice information