The mudali, specifically the Kunbi mudali, is a special tuber grown by the Kunbi community in the Uttara Kannada district of Joida, in the Western Ghats. This tuber is mildly reminiscent of the arbi or colocasia. On pan frying, the texture of the mudali closely resembles soft, flaky fish meat. The Kunbi mudali is known to be a nutritive tuber, rich in carbohydrates, proteins, fibres, vitamin K, calcium, zinc, and iron.
Sumeet, founder of Spudnik farms, works closely with the Kunbi community to bring the mudali and other tubers to urban consumers in Bengaluru through their community supported agriculture programme. She documents the recipe for a simple rava fry, a specialty of the Kunbi community.
Sumeet first tasted this dish at Yogesh Derekar’s home in Joida, and vouches for how delicious it is. She notes that Yogesh, a master tuber grower, is often referred to as the “mudali rava fry specialist.” You can taste this, and other interesting tuber dishes at the upcoming Rooting for Tubers Festival, happening in Bengaluru on 1 December 2024.
| Kunbi mudali (Colocacia esculenta) | 500 grams | 2 cups approx. |
|---|---|
| Monkey jackfruit or Vaate Huli, souring agent | 6-8 pieces |
| Salt | to taste |
| Red chilli powder | 1 teaspoon |
| Rava | 3 tablespoons |
| Ghee/Oil | 1-2 tablespoons |
What You Will Need
Hand gloves; Peeler; Bowl; Heavy-bottomed frying pan; Plate; Toothpicks
Instructions
Use hand gloves to peel the Kunbi mudali and slice it into ½-cm discs.
In a clean bowl, crush six to eight pieces of Vaate Huli (or any other souring agent) into a powder.
Sprinkle this powder on both sides of the sliced mudali along with salt and red chilli powder. Set aside for 20 minutes.
Heat a heavy-bottomed tawa on a medium flame and add the ghee or cooking oil.
While the oil is heating up, put the rava onto a plate. Place the mudali pieces in the rava one by one and keep turning them to coat both sides.
Place the rava-coated mudali in a single layer on the tava, then reduce the flame, and cover and cook on each side for 7-10 minutes. Prick the mudali with a toothpick. If it comes out easily (similar to a boiled potato), the mudali is cooked.
Serve hot as an appetiser or as an accompaniment to dal and rice.
Tips
- Raw mudali contains calcium oxalate, which can irritate the throat if not handled or prepared properly. Use hand gloves so that it doesn’t affect your palms.
- The use of souring agents like Vaate Huli (monkey jackfruit) help in preventing an itchy throat and any itchiness on the skin.
Variations
- Since mudali cannot be easily procured, this dish can also be made with any other tuber such as arbi, sweet potato, or even regular potatoes.
- If Vaate Huli is not readily available, then tamarind, kokum, or amchoor (dry mango powder) are great alternatives.
Yogesh Derekar is a master tuber grower from the Kunbi community in Joida, Karnataka.
This recipe was documented by Sumeet Kaur, founder of Spudnik Farms. Read more about Sumeet and Spudnik Farms here.
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