In South Indian cooking, several root vegetables are often roasted. This includes potatoes, elephant yam (jimmikhand, chena, senaikizhangu) and colocasia (taro root, arbi, chembu). These are fiery looking dishes, but are actually quite mild in chilli quotient. I love to pair such preparations with a bland main dish such as mulakootal, mulakooshyam or even the North Indian dals. My favourite is potato roast, but colocasia comes a close second.

Ingredients
600 gms colocasia
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi powder, manjal podi)
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder (dhania powder, kothamalli podi)
1 tsp cumin powder (jeera powder, jeeraga podi)
Salt to taste
For The Seasoning
1 tsp mustard seeds (sarson, kadugu)
Method
Cook the colocasia till soft (use a pressure cooker or it may take very long to cook. Perhaps 2 whistles)
Let the steam release and immediately transfer the colocasia to cold water (blanch)
The colocasia must be well cooked, but not mushy
Peel the skin of the colocasia and cut into medium sized chunks
Transfer to a vessel and sprinkle salt
Add chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder
Mix well
Let it sit for 15-20 minutes
Heat a medium sized wok and add mustard seeds
When they begin to splutter, add the marinated colocasia
Cover and roast on a low flame for about 3 minutes till all the ingredients are well blended, stirring occasionally
Be careful not to burn the colocasia
Transfer to a serving bowl
Serve with red/brown rice or Indian flat breads
Enjoy!