Alu Vadi (Steamed Colacasia/Taro leaf rolls)

As promised earlier, I am posting this recipe for Alu Vadi (Steamed Colacasia/Taro leaf rolls).I made these almost 10 days ago and never got the time to post them. My little one keeps me busy most of the time when I am back from work. Earlier he would go to sleep by 8 -8:30 in the night and I would get some free time to blog .Now-a-days he puts me to sleep! Most of the times I doze off while trying to put him to sleep.Even to take a photograph before I leave to work has now become tricky. He gets his own plate and says ‘Mama Phofo!’ So first we take photos of his plate and then mine. Then sometimes he has the whim to click the photos! (You can see some of my pics not so artistic-that’s our joint effort!)

Anyways I am trying my best to keep blogging come what may….someday both of us will write a post together too!

Coming back to Alu Vadi,-Alu in Marathi, Arbi in Hindi and Colocasia/Taro in English. We have these plants in our kitchen garden. Alu is a very hassle free plant. It only needs good amount of water- not much pampering is required.We make curry (Alu chi Bhaji) from the Alu leaves or Alu Vadi (Steamed rolls). Both are delicious though I prefer the Vadi more.

For Alu Vadi you need: 

8 Alu/Colocasia/Taro leaves (use even number of leaves)

For the coating

¾th cup besan (Chick pea flour)

2 tsp tamarind pulp

1 tsp crushed jaggery

1 pinch Asafoetida

½ tsp Cumene powder

½ tsp Coriander powder

½-1 tsp red chilli powder

¼ tsp Turmeric powder

Salt as per taste

For the tempering

2 tsp oil

1 tsp cumene seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp sesame seeds

For the coating mix all the ingredients. Add water to make a paste (neither too thick or too thein.You should be able to coat the leaves. Almost to the consistency of Bhajjia batter) Mix the paste with hand if required ensuring that no lumps remain in the batter.Wash and dry the Alu leaves. Be careful while cutting these leaves from the stems. The stems of these leaves release some juice which stains clothes. So take care not to stain your clothes.Keep two leaves preferably of same size upside down one over the other. Using a rolling pin flatten the veins of these leaves. Apply the Besan paste all over the leaf. Once the entire leaf has been coated start rolling the leaf from the base towards the tip as shown in the picture. While rolling apply the paste on each fold to seal it properly.

Similarly make 3 more rolls from the remaining 6 leaves. Steam them till done. Insert a knife and check.It should come out clean.

Cool nicely. Cut them into small rolls. Arrange them in a flat dish.In a small pan heat oil, add the cumene seeds, fennel seeds and sesame seeds. Spread this tempering on the Alu vadis.

Serve this as a side dish.

Like I said earlier there are lot of variations to this recipe. Some people deep/shallow fry these Vadis. But I find topping them with the tempering more healthy, so I do it this way. As a variation you can also add garlic to the Besan paste used for coating. It tastes great. You can also increase the number of leaves, sandwiching the paste between each leaf.That is you can take all 8 leaves one over the other applying the paste on each leaf. Choice is yours!