Kamal kakdi (lotus root) ki sabzi

• Servings: 4-5
• Preparation time: 10-12 minutes.
• Boiling time: 12-15 minutes.
• Frying time: 15 minutes.
• Cooking time: 8-10 minutes.
• Total time: 52 minutes. 

Lotus root had been used in culinary as well as for medicinal  value since thousands of years; it is used widely in Japan, China  and India. I had been in Japan for about two and half years; there I came to know that Japanese considered this as auspicious food, as a good luck. It is  must for them to include this vegetable on new year eve( the meal is  called Osichi).

In Japanese cuisine they often use as boiled, as a pickle or as a  tempura (fritters).I would like  to say that lotus root is the integral part of Japanese meal.

I love the root for its natural design after slicing; above all it has great health benefits. It improves digestion, tackle the problem of constipation as it has good amount of fibre. 

I have already uploaded “Kamal Kakdi Kofta Curry”, “Kamal Kakdi Kabab” and “Kamal Kakdi Instant Pickle”. Today’s recipe “Kamal Kakdi ki sabji” is right here.

Ingredients:

• Kamal kakdi (lotus root): 250 gm
• Potato/Aaloo: 2 no. (Medium)
• Onion: 2 no. (small)
• Tomato: 2 no. (Medium)
• Lemon juice: 1 teaspoon
• Curd: 50 gm
• Ginger: 2 teaspoon (paste)
• Garlic: 1 teaspoon (paste)
• Cumin: 1 teaspoon
• Bay leaf: 2 no.
• Salt: 1 teaspoon (as per taste)
• Red Chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder: 1 teaspoon
• Garam masala powder: half teaspoon
• Mustard Oil/any cooking oil: 5 tablespoon
• Fresh coriander leaf: 50 gm.

Preparation:

1. Wash and peel off the lotus root and potato.
2. Slice the lotus root  slanting into one sixth inch thick slices; put it into salted water bowl(otherwise it will turn brown).
3. Chop each potato into 4 pieces.
4. Chop the onion longitudinally.
5. Grate the tomatoes.
6. Whip the curd.
7. Chop coriander leaves.

Method:

1. Put the lotus root into cooker with 2 cup of water, half teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
2. Place cooker on high flame, and bring to full cooking pressure, reduce the heat on low flame and cook it about 12-15 minutes.
3. Let it be cool; drain the water and wash the slices under tap water, clean properly and keep aside.
4. Take a fry pan; add chopped potato, fry on medium flame for about 4-5 minutes or up to golden brown. Remove fried potato in a bowl, keep aside.
5. Heat the oil, add cumin, bay leaf, sputter for few seconds; add onion, saute on high flame  for couple of minutes or till golden in colour, add tomato and continue to saute for couple of minutes.
6. Add garlic and ginger paste along with chilli, turmeric, and coriander powder; continue to fry for couple of minutes. 
7. Add lotus root slices and stir it; cover it, continue to frying on low flame about 5-6 minutes.
8. Add fried potato and stir it; add whipped curd, stir till the whiteness disappears, add 300 ml water and cover the lid.
9. Cook on lower flame till it  is done(8-10 minutes); add Garam masala powder, garnish with coriander leaves, Serve hot with Rice or Chapati.

Kamal kakdi (lotus root) ki sabzi by Nag Ratna Sahu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.