Chena Theeyal - Yam in fried coconut curry

Ingredients:

• Elephant yam(Chena) cut into small cubes - 1 cup
• Onions - 1 cup 
• Tamarind juice (juice extracted from a lemon-sized tamarind soaked in water) -1/3 cup
• Salt to taste

Masala (to be roasted & ground):

• Grated coconut - 1 cup
• Coriander powder -1 1/2tbsp
• Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp 
• Chilli powder -1 tspn (you can add more if u want it spicy)
• Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tspn
• Oil - 1 tspn

For tempering:

• Mustard seeds -1/4 tspn
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tspn
• Dry red chillies - 3 nos.
• A sprig of curry leaves
• Oil (coconut oil will give the authentic taste)- 2 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil for roasting the masala. Add coconut first and roast until dark brown (a minute short of burning). Then add all the powders, fry for few seconds and remove from fire. Cool the mix and grind it to coarse powder and then add some water and grind to a smooth paste.
2. In a kadai, add the tamarind juice,  one cup of water, onions and the yam. Bring to boil and add the ground masala paste. Simmer for 10-15 mins until gravy thickens.
3.Add salt and mix well. Remove from fire.
4. Heat oil for tempering. Add the mustard seeds and once it starts spluttering, add the remaining ingredients. Pour this into the curry. Mix well.

Serve hot with rice.