Colocasia Leaves Stems ~ Onion Sukkha / Ventiche’ Sukkhe

“Colocasia Leaves Stems ~ Onion Sukkha / Ventiche’ Sukkhe” … Venti / patrade panna dentu / colocasia stems / taro stems / Kesavina kaalu (Dentu) / Taal … has immense health benefits … Here is a tasty and delicious dish prepared with the same my way … After getting bored with the regualar venti talsani, gojju and other dishes, I made my own concoction today and came up with this dish that really surpassed my expectation and turned out very very delicious. So, do prepare this and enjoy with your family and friends … Goes very well with Dalitoy and Rice but is excellent with Roti / Paratha … Yummy Yumz ....

A Little about Venti / Colocasia Leaves Stems :

** Venti / patrade ani alva pannache’ dentu colocasia stems / taro stems / Kesavina kaalu (Dentu) / Taal is the stem part of colocasia also known in Marathi as Arvi and Taro in English. Like Banana Plant and Coconut tree, each part of colocasia plant too is of full use and there are many dishes that can be prepared with the leaves, stems and roots. The whole plant is of full health benefits. While the leaves are used in preparation of Patrado which is very famous amongst Saraswat’s the root which in konkani is called Alvamande is also cooked into many delicacies. The stem is peeled off its outer skin and then used in many dishes along with some other veggies or as it is. In Konkani it is called venti. 

** Venti / colocasia stem is loaded with health benefits and has very significant amount of dietary fiber and carbohydrates, as well as high levels of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B6, and folate, as well as magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphorous, potassium, manganese, and copper. Amongst Konkani Saraswat’s this venti / stem is cooked along with garlic and give to women post delivery for faster body recovery. 

** My mother always prepared venti upkari / bhaji / talasani with addition of losun / garlic which I have already included in the Blog before. Many a times, when I purchase these leaves the vendor just cuts off the stem portion and throws it away and gives it to us. I always insisted on having the stem too and he gladly gave me not only that which I had purchase, but some more where people has bought after cutting it off. People always looked towards me in amazement and queried about the same. I told them its benefits and how to peel the skin and use etc. and many of my friends now take it home to prepare the same.

** My hubby loves these stems prepared into gojju, chutney or talasani / upkari and always insists I make it. Today I prepared my very own concoction of sukkhe with these and I must tell you that it had us all at home asking for more as I had cooked little for trial basis. 

** A word of CAUTION : The only precaution one must take is buy these leaves from reliable sources. These leaves, stems and roots all have itching properties when grown on unhealthy conditions. Usually while handling them with hands if they tend to itch, do not use the same. Most of the time the one’s available in market are ok. As I myself have never come across such leaves. 

** Also the second point is to use plenty of tamarind to the preparation as this is said to ward of the minute itching sensation that may prevail in the leaves, stems or roots. Do not cut down on the quantity specified in the recipes while preparing any of the said items.

** Ingredients :

Colocasia Stems / Venti : 20 thick and large ones.

Onion : 2 large sized.

Tamarind : One small lemon sized ball.

Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp

Curry Leaves : 8-10 

Salt to taste.

Oil : 1 tblsp

** For Masala :

Coconut : ½ cup freshly grated.

Urad Dal : 1 tsp

Chana Dal : 1 tsp

Coriander / Dhania Seeds : 2 tsp

Jeera / Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp 

Methi / Fenugreek Seeds : 8-10

Mustard / Rai / Sasam Seeds : One pinch.

Haldi / Turmeric Powder : ½ tsp

Hing / Asafoetida Powder : 1 tsp

Red Chilly Powder : 2 tsp

Curry Leaves : 2-3 

Oil : 1 tblsp

** Soak the tamarind in one cup of hot water for 10-15 minutes. Squeeze out the pulp and strain the juice. You should remove as much of the thick juice as possible.

** Peel off the skin of 2 large sized onions and cut them into pieces. Keep this ready aside. 

** Peel off / string the outer blacking or dark greenish skin of the Venti and cut them into 1-2 inches sized pieces. I had in all about 3 full cups of these pieces. Wash in plenty of water and keep them ready aside.

** Add the chopped venti / stem pieces along with the strained tamarind paste and a litle bit of salt into a pressure cooker pan. Add about ½ cup of water and pressure cook on medium flame to 2-3 whistles. Remove and let cool a bit.

** Leave the pressure cooker aside to cool down on its own. Once you are able to remove the lid of the pressure cooker, allow the cooked stem pieces to cool down. Strain the water and use this while grinding the masala. 

** For Masala : Heat oil in a small pan, when hot add in the urad dal and fry till the colour changes slightly, now add in chana dal and fry for few seconds. Add in the methi seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds and jeera and fry well. Lastly add in the curry leaves along with haldi powder, hing powder and red chilly powder. Fry all for a minute and remove from fire.

** Add the above fried item into a mixer grinder along with coconut and grind to a semi coarse paste with the strained cooked colocasia leaves stems / venti water. Do not add more or water as this is a semi dry dish and we need a thick semi coarse masala. Remove and keep this aside. 

** In a thick bottomed kadai, add the oil and let it become hot, when hot lower the heat and add in the mustard seeds, when they begin to splutter add in 8-10 fresh curry leaves, fry for few seconds and then add in the chopped onions. Fry the onions on medium heat till translucent. Say about 3-4 minutes. 

** Now add in the cooked colocasia leaves stems / venti to the fried onions along with the ground masala. Add salt to taste and mix well. Add in a little bit of water if you find the masala too dry. Be careful with addition of water as this is a dry curry. 

** Cover and cook on low heat till you see small bubbles appearing on top surface. Keep mixing in between to avoid the masala getting burnt. Sprinkle water if too dry or you find the bottom getting burnt. Cook covered for about 5-7 minutes. Done.

** “Colocasia Leaves Stems ~ Onion Sukkha / Ventiche’ Sukkhe” is done and ready to be served. Serve this as a side dish with any other dishes of your choice. Goes well with Dalitoy and Rice as well as Roti / Parathas. This dish really surpassed my expectation and turned out very very delicious. So, do prepare this and enjoy with your family and friends. And please do not throw the stems away there are many more dishes lined up using the same. Keep checking my blog for the same.

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