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Arikanchan
Taro leaf rolls in mustard gravy
अरिकञ्चन (arikanchan): Mithila taro-leaf and besan rolls, steamed, sliced and simmered in a sharp mustard gravy
Arikanchan is a monsoon speciality of Maithil kitchens in Janakpur and the eastern Terai, cooked when the taro plants in the courtyard put out huge, tender leaves. A spiced chickpea-flour paste is spread over the leaves, which are rolled up tight like a Swiss roll and steamed, then the rolls are sliced into spirals, fried and simmered in a punchy gravy of ground mustard seed, garlic, chilli and tomato cooked in mustard oil. The result is soft and layered, with a gentle sourness and the nose-tingling heat of fresh mustard, eaten with rice and a dal. The biggest risk is undercooking the taro leaves, which can leave an itchy, scratchy feeling in the throat. Chef's tip: use only young leaves, strip the thick ribs, and always include the tamarind in the paste, because the sourness neutralises the irritant in the leaves.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the rolls
- 8 young taro (colocasia) leaveswashed, thick ribs shaved off
- 5 ½ oz besan (chickpea flour)
- ½ oz tamarind pulpsoaked in 4 tbsp hot water, strained
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 /2 tsp ajwain (carom) seeds
- 3 /4 tsp salt
- ¼ cup waterapproximately
For the mustard gravy
- 2 tbsp yellow or black mustard seedssoaked 15 minutes
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 /2 tsp nigella (kalonji) seeds
- 1 tomatofinely chopped
- 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 /2 tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups water
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 5 ½ oz besan (chickpea flour), ½ oz tamarind pulp, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 /2 tsp ajwain (carom) seeds and 3 /4 tsp salt with ¼ cup water into a thick, spreadable paste.
3 minStep 2: Lay one of 8 young taro (colocasia) leaves shiny side down, spread thinly with paste, lay another leaf on top and repeat until you have a stack of 4. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly from the stem end. Make a second roll with the remaining leaves.
10 minStep 3: Steam the rolls over boiling water for 20 minutes until firm and a knife comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then slice into 1.5 cm rounds.
20 minStep 4: Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil, for shallow frying in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the slices for 2–3 minutes per side until crisp and golden. Lift out.
6 minStep 5: Grind the drained 2 tbsp yellow or black mustard seeds with 3 cloves garlic, 2 green chillies and a splash of water to a smooth paste.
3 minStep 6: Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a wide pan over a medium-high heat until it just smokes, then lower the heat, add 1 /2 tsp nigella (kalonji) seeds and fry for 15 seconds.
2 minStep 7: Add 1 tomato, 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric and 1 /2 tsp salt and cook for 3–4 minutes until soft, then stir in the mustard paste and cook for 1 minute.
4 minStep 8: Add 1 ¼ cups water, bring to a simmer, slide in the fried slices and simmer gently for 5–6 minutes, spooning the gravy over, until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve hot with rice.
6 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does arikanchan take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
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