Jimikand Curry

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jimikand Curry
Jimikand Curry

Jimikand Curry is another heirloom recipe from my mum’s kitchen, passed onto her by my Nani (maternal grandmother). My mother didn’t cook it often when we were growing up. I am not sure why, may be because jimikand was not readily available in our town or may be because the other family members didn’t appreciate it much. But she often mentioned that her mother, that is my Nani, made the best Jimikand ki sabzi ever.

Jimikand Curry
Jimikand Curry

The other day, when I called up mum and told her that I have a bag of frozen jimikand and do not know what to do with it, she recommended to make this curry. I relented and then agreed. Asked her how and when she told me the recipe, I blured, that’s it..this is super easy. And I was off to the kitchen, preppig for this curry.

Jimikand Curry
Jimikand Curry

Jimikand is also known as Suran in many parts of the country. It is commonly known as Elephant Foot Yam in English. Jimikand belongs to the tuber family and is widely cultivated in tropical countries. It is a staple crop in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Nigeria, Philippines and Indonesia etc. It is a nutritionally dense vegetable, that supports heart health, reduces bad cholesterol, promotes good digestion and is also a low GI vegetable making it a good choice for diabetics.

Jimikand Curry
Jimikand Curry

When a regular curry is this delicious, the credit goes more to the vegetable. Jimikand is fibrous and very rustic in taste. My mother says, that it tastes like a vegetarian meat and often compared with fried paneer. Though the curry doesn’t look much in its looks but the taste is just out of this world. You have to trust me on this.

Since this is a heirloom recipe from my mom’s kitchen, I am submitting this recipe for MOTHER’s DAY COLLECTION on very talented Sreelatha’s blog, called Framed Recipes. Do visit her blog to check out some amazing food pictures and recipes…brilliant work I must say…

This is how to make this curry.

Jimikand Curry

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Jimikand Curry
Jimikand Curry

Kitchen Equipments Required 

A heavy bottom hard anodized pan or non stick pan with lid, stirring spoon, chopping board, knife, food processor.

Ingredients

Jimikand / Suran – 350 gms

Onion – 1 medium

Tomatoes – 2 medium

Ginger – 1 small piece

Garlic – 2 small pods, optional

Green Chili – 1 small

Cilantro/Coriander leaves – handful to garnish

Water – 1&1/2 to 2 cups

Oil & Spices

Oil – 1/2 tbsp + 1 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Red Chili powder – 1/4 tsp

Garam Masala – 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

Prepping the Jimikand 

  1. You may cut the Jimikand in desirable size and shape. I used frozen which already comes cubed.
  2. Boil some water and blanch Jimikand for 5-7 minutes. We don’t want mushy Jimikand, just slightly softened. Alternately, you may pressure cook Jimikand pieces for 1/2 whistle. Switch off the gas, before the whistle blows off. Immediately release the pressure manually and open the cooker and drain in a sieve.
  3. Dry it out completely.
  4. Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add the dried pieces of Jimikand in the hot oil and pan fry on medium high heat for about 5-7 minutes, till slightly crispy from outside.
  5. Set these aside in a plate lined with paper towel.

Making the Curry

  1. Roughly chop the onions, green chili, ginger and garlic and then add it to the food processor. Grind it fine. Set this aside.
  2. Now add roughly chopped Toamtoes to the food processor and purée fine. Set this aside too.
  3. In the same pan, heat 1 tsp oil and add cumin seeds to it. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion paste to it. Sauté on lower medium flame, till it becomes reddish golden.
  4. Add puréed tomatoes to the pan along with all the spices as mentioned above. Stir with a spoon. Cover with lid and let it cook on slow for about 7-8 minutes till the curry paste becomes one. Stir few times in the middle.
  5. Remove the lid, add the shallow fried Jimikand pieces and water to it. Stir well. Cover again with lid and let cook for another 7-8 minutes on medium heat till the curry comes together.
  6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve it hot with rotis or any kind of pulav or rice.

Notes

  1. If you are not conscious of the oil intake, then you may deep fry the Jimikand pieces.
  2. For richer curry, you may add 2 tbsp cream towards the end to it and use more oil in cooking of not using the non stick or hard anodized pan.
  3. The spices can be adjusted to your own taste.
  4. This curry can be made as thick or as runny, to your choice.

I had a great time making Jimikamd Curry in my Indian American Kitchen. I am sure you would too :).

Sonal

Taking this curry for taste testing to Throwback Thursday and Fiesta Friday, co-hosted by my 2 favorite blogger friends – Suzanne @ A pug in the kitchen and Zeba @ Food for the Soul !

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

29 Comments

  1. I haven’t heard of it either, but I opened up the post thinking it was some kind of meat, which surprised me! The joke was on me, I guess! This looks scrumptious and hearty and the photos are just gorgeous!

    Thanks for sharing with us on Throwback Thursday!!

    Mollie

    Reply

  3. You make the most tantalising recipes and often with ingredients I have never even heard of. What a wonderful recipe!

    Reply

  7. yummy curry. Sonal the name Jimmikand is what attracted me to this post..I didn’t know that suran was called jimmikand too 🙂 thanks for the lovely recipe!

    Reply

  10. I’ve never heard of Jimikand, I had to do a double take because it looks like meat. The curry sounds delicious and this is something I would love to try. Your photo’s make every dish look a meal you woud serve a King. So beautiful!!

    Reply

    1. Jimikand is a very rustic tuber Suzanne, and is traditionally used in many ways in Indian households but current lifestyles and lack of availability of ingredients, many recipes are getting lost…I keep asking my mom and mom in law about their childhood favorites to keep some of the recipes alive 🙂

      Reply

  12. I’m not so sure I’ve heard of this Sonal, but wow, look at those individual basmati grains, and your jimikand curry sounds real appetizing. Brilliant photography 🙂

    Reply