Kalan

Step 1: Put 9 oz elephant foot yam (chena), 1 raw green nendran banana, 1 ½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and 1 ¼ tsp salt in a heavy pan with 1 ¼ cups water. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 12–15 minutes, until the yam is tender all the way through and most of the water has gone.

Step 2: Meanwhile, whisk 1 ⅛ lb sour full-fat yogurt (curd) until completely smooth, with no lumps. Grind 3 ½ oz grated fresh coconut, 3 green chillies and ½ tsp cumin seeds with 3–4 tbsp water to a very fine, creamy paste.

Step 3: Turn the heat to low and pour the curd over the vegetables. Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 15–20 minutes, until the curd has reduced by about a third and coats the back of a spoon thickly. Common mistake: hurrying this on a high heat. The curd splits into grainy whey, and kalan should be glossy and thick.

Step 4: Stir in the coconut paste and warm through for 3–4 minutes on low, until it smells of cooked coconut. Do not let it bubble hard. Take off the heat.

Step 5: Heat 1 ½ tbsp coconut oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds; when it crackles, add ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds and fry for 20–30 seconds until reddish-brown (not black), then add 2 dried red chillies and 15 curry leaves. As soon as the leaves crisp, pour the tempering over the kalan.

Step 6: Leave it to settle for at least an hour before serving. Kalan thickens and sharpens as it rests and keeps for 3–4 days in the fridge.