Senai Kizhangu Roast – Elephant foot Yam Roast Cooked in Banana Leaves

I love the aroma of food cooked in wilted banana leaf. I took the recipe for the classic Kerala style Meen Pollichathu (fish cooked in banana leaf) and instead of fish, I substituted Elephant Foot Yam. The technique of cooking food in banana leaf can be compared to the classic french technique of en papillote (food steamed in parchment pouches). The flavor penetrates well into the food and the aroma of banana leaf is divine. This is one of the very classic preparation that everyone loves. Here is my version of Senai Kizhangu roast Pollichathu.

Here is the video of Senai Kizhangu Roast recipe.

Prep
Clean and chop the Senai Kizhangu into 1/2 inch thick steaks. Keep the slices thick. Soak the senai kizhangu in salt water for five minutes. Drain the water and set aside.
Note: Some people might feel their palms itch badly after cleaning yam. Apply oil or wear gloves when cleaning and cutting yam.

Add the Senai Kizhangu steaks in a pressure cooker along with half a cup of water and salt. Cover the pressure cooker and cook for exactly two whistles. Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to settle naturally. Do not cook for long. Remove the yam and set aside on a plate to cool. (If the kizhangu is young / small, cook only for one whistle. If in doubt, cook for one whistle only!!! :))

Make a dry rub with salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder. Sprinkle the powder on both sides of the cooked senai kizhangu and spread it evenly all over it. Marinate the yam for 10 minutes. Set aside.

Fry the yam in a tablespoon of coconut oil. Fry for two to three minutes on each side. The yam might take more time to roast if its thick. I just cooked for two minutes on each side. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate to cool.

In the same pan used for frying yam, add in the oil and onions and crushed ginger. Fry till the onions are soft and starting to brown. Add in the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Fry till the tomatoes are cooked and juicy. Add in the fresh shredded coconut and coriander leaves. Remove from heat and mix well to combine. Set aside.

Lets get the banana leaves ready for wrapping. The banana leaves need to be wilted. Using the raw leaf would likely tear when folded. To avoid this problem, it needs to be wilted on fire. Remove the middle spine from the leaf with a knife. Run the banana leaf on fire for 2-3 seconds. The leaf would have become soft. Set aside. Just mere seconds is good enough. Do not show the leaf on fire for a long time. It might burn.

Take a big piece of wilted banana leaf and add in two tablespoon of the prepared masala in the center. Add a piece of the fried yam and cover the yam with two tablespoon of masala.

Fold the banana leaf to make a small packet. Fold from both the sides. Fold again on the top and bottom. Place it seam side down so it does not open. Repeat with all the yam pieces. Set aside.

Place the prepared pockets on a pan and cook for 5 minutes on a low flame, seam side down first. Cover the pan with a lid and cook.The flavor of the banana leaf will penetrate well on a covered pan.
Turn the pockets and cook again for five minutes. Cover with a lid and cook.

Remove from heat and serve with lime / lemon wedges.

Senai Kizhangu Roast – Elephant foot Yam Roast Cooked in Banana Leaves

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Pin Recipe

Senai Kizhangu roast Pollichathu.

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

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For Frying Senai Kizhangu / Yam

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 4 slices of senai kizhangu – yam steaks (cooked in 1/4 teaspoon salt and water)
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

For the masala

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 2 onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 inch piece ginger, minced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 sprigs coriander leaves
• 2 tablespoon fresh shredded coconut
• Other ingredients
• 4–5 foot banana leaf
• 4–5 lime / lemon wedges

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Instructions

1. Add the Senai Kizhangu steaks in a pressure cooker along with half a cup of water and salt. Cover the pressure cooker and cook for exactly two whistles. Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to settle naturally. Do not cook for long. Remove the yam and set aside on a plate to cool.
2. Make a dry rub with salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder. Sprinkle the powder on both sides of the cooked senai kizhangu and spread it evenly all over it. Marinate the yam for 10 minutes. Set aside.
3. Fry the yam in a tablespoon of coconut oil. Fry for two to three minutes on each side. The yam might take more time to roast if its thick. I just cooked for two minutes on each side. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate to cool.
4. In the same pan used for frying yam, add in the oil and onions and crushed ginger. Fry till the onions are soft and starting to brown. Add in the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Fry till the tomatoes are cooked and juicy. Add in the fresh shredded coconut and coriander leaves. Remove from heat and mix well to combine. Set aside.
5. Place the yam steaks and masala in the prepared banana leaf and make into pockets.
6. Place the prepared pockets on a pan and cook for 5 minutes on a low flame, seam side down first. Cover the pan with a lid and cook.The flavor of the banana leaf will penetrate well on a covered pan.
7. Turn the pockets and cook again for five minutes. Cover with a lid and cook.
8. Remove from heat and serve with lime / lemon wedges.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Appetizer / First Course
• Cuisine: South Indian