Colocassia Stems Koshimbir

When I was a kid, I would hate it if anyone made use of things like vegetable peels, stems etc. to create a new dish. To the point that I would avoid it and call the person miserly and turn my nose on it.

There was this aunt of mine who did it often. She used peels stems and everything to create yummy stuff. That's what I think now. Back then she was hated for being disciplinarian and making me eat those scraps of waste!

You will appreciate her ingenuity now. Whenever she made Alu vadi she also made this koshimbir. She would say when leaves are loved  why not the stalks. She taught me as a kid to peel the stalks of colocassia  with skill as she would sit me next to her as she slathered the Alu leaves with the sourish besan paste on the leaves. She would to engage me put a little of that paste on my lil palm and ask, does it taste good? Is the salt right? It made one feel so important. You were the one that could make or break the dish with your verdict! I would nod my head with all air of authority and tell her perfect as I make a circle with my thumb and fore finger. Else would say add more tamarind or spice. You know how lil connoisseur's are ;)

Meanwhile my smart aunt would have got done the peeling of the stalks by me. She would instruct. Hold the stalk, section it halfway thru its thickness and peel of the skin with the sections. The skin is waxy and when removed leaves behind a spongy stalk. The stalk when soaked in the curd is delicious.

Ingredients

1/2 peeled colocassia stalks sectioned into small bits
1 cup curd
1/4 teaspoon mustard
1/8 teaspoon asafoetida
1 teaspoon oil

Heat oil in a small vessel. Splutter mustard and asafoetida in the hot oil. Add the sectioned colocassia stalks in it. Cook till done. The stalks look pale once done. Add curd to it.

Let the flavours steep for 10 mins before you serve.