Elephant Foot Yam

Suran, sometimes known as Elephant Foot Yam is a versatile ingredient in Goa. It is like a very firm and starchy sweet potato. This yam was cubed and deep fried in a kadai before it was added to a simmering pot of vegetarian stew called khatkhatem. I enjoyed working with the Goan chefs. The two head Goan chefs Arjun and Michael have been working in the kitchens of Cidade de Goa since 1982. Soulcocina will definetly feature Arjun and Michael in future posts. The picture below is a young chef, Santosh, from nepal who has been awarded the honorable title of Employee of the Quarter Check out some interesting tubers from Central America at El Amor Por La Cocina

Last year, on the Kerala backwaters, we enjoyed a sweet and tangy suran achar as part of a South Indian thali of fried king fish and many different veg items (beets, cabbage, some kind of squash) along with dal and plain boiled rice that is served on a banana leaf. The thali is served with a little salt. The suran achar was spectacular.


Tune: Yamala by Yunasi from Kenya

Tune: Elephant Dragon from Cambodia cassette Archives

Tune: Rah Rah by Elephant Man

Tune: Scrappy Elephant is a Nuffwish bootleg remix of a Missy Elliot tune that samples Ann Peebles Can't stand the Rain with Elephant Man up in the mix.

Tune: The Elephant and the Fly (1918) by Weyert A. Moor and Benjamin Kohon from an Edison phonograph cylinder