My mom never cooked Cheppankizhangu at home. I became a fan of Cheppankizhangu varuval during my years at Manju auntie’s place. Cheppankizhangu fry is a dish loved by everyone. Its meaty and crisp and goes so well with a simple south Indian lunch of lentil and rice. The first time I made this after marriage, me and Vinod were left with an irritating throat. Later on I learnt from auntie that if this vegetable is not fully cooked, it can cause intense discomfort in the throat. The vegetable is boiled and then fried. So that’s the word of caution.
Here is the video of Arbi fry, Cheppankizhangu Varuval Tamilnadu style Arbi fry Recipe
Soak the Cheppankizhangu / Arbi in water for 10 minutes and wash them thoroughly to get rid of sand. Cook the Cheppankizhangu / Arbi in lots of water (4-5 cups) in a pressure cooker for exactly 2 whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure in the cooker to release naturally. Drain the water. Peel the skin of Cheppankizhangu / Arbi. The skin should peel off easily. It might be slightly slimy. Note that the veggie is now fully cooked and soft. It should not be mushy. Cut each Arbi into two or three pieces. Do not cut it into small pieces as they might break easily while roasting and will not hold its shape. Set aside.
Now, we will be marinating the cooked veggie with a masala paste. Make a masala paste with turmeric, salt, chilli powder and coriander powder. Use couple of table spoons of water to make a thick paste. Don’t make the paste too thin. The paste should be thick. Use water with caution. Apply the paste gently to the boiled, peeled and cut Cheppankizhangu. Make sure the masala paste is evenly coated on the vegetable. Add 2 sprigs of curry leaves on top. Let it marinate for 10 minutes. Set aside.
Traditionally Cheppankizhangu is deep fried. But I am used to pan frying and a non stick pan works well for this recipe. I have found that any other kind of pan completely makes the veggie stick to the pan while roasting. Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick pan and add in the marinated Cheppankizhangu. Fry in low flame for 10 minutes until the vegetable is completely dry and roasted.
Remove off heat. Serve with rice.
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 sprigs Curry Leaves
- 500 grams Cheppankizhangu / Arbi
- 3 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- Soak the Cheppankizhangu / Arbi in water for 10 minutes and wash them thoroughly to get rid of sand. Cook the Cheppankizhangu / Arbi in water in a pressure cooker for exactly 2 whistles. Wait for the pressure in the cooker to release naturally. Peel the skin of Cheppankizhangu / Arbi. Cut it into two or three pieces. Set aside.
- Make a masala paste with turmeric, salt, chilli powder and coriander powder. Use couple of table spoon of water to make a thick paste. Apply the paste gently to the boiled, peeled and cut Cheppankizhangu. Add 2 sprigs of curry leaves on top. Let it marinate for 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick pan and add in the marinated Cheppankizhangu. Fry in low flame for 10 minutes until the vegetable is completely dry and roasted.
Thank you. Loved it
Hi loved your recipe…?
Can I use steel pan instead of non-stick one…I’m so strict about using non-stick pan…Is there any way to avoid burning..
Sure you can use steel or iron pan. To avoid burning, be a little liberal with oil.
Superb
Scrolled this fry morning somewhere in FB, and now this time catched it here.. And our cooker called as now, by the second whistle and gonna make paste .. Hope it will come good and crunchy., Thank yaa ……!!!
Thanks Surya.
Dear Suguna , you’re doing a great job with Kannama Cooks . Congratulations .
Like you , I too enjoy South Indian fare & Tamil. I’m trying to further my interests and learn more about the cooking styles & the varieties of vegetables .
Thank you for helping me in my quest .
Regards,
Sarojini
Thank you so much for writing in!