Mukhi Kochur Dolma/Stuffed Arbi

Mukhi kochu or gathi kochu aka taro root was an absolute favorite for everyone in the house and even for my sister who was quiet picky about her vegetable choices. If available in the market, my father used to always bring them home and my mother prepared mukhi kochhur dum.
My sister says Na na maa r dum khabo na.(We will not eat dum anymore).
Thakuma (grand mother) was quiet old then and used to hardly enter the kitchen. My mother never let her cook, fearing that her trembling hands would lead her into a trouble.She will either cut her hand in the boti (tool to cut vegetables) or burn her hand in the gorom korai(hot kadai).

Thakuma said Achha aaj ami ranna korbo (I will cook today)
Mother said Na na maa apnaar ranna korar dorkar nei. Apni amay bole din ami korchhi.
It was then that my grandmother instructed her to cook kochur dolma. While my mother carefully noted the recipe, me and my sister were thoroughly soaked in stories of her childhood revolving around this dolma.

Step by step instructions to prepare mukhi kochur dolma

Peel the mukhi kochu/arbi and keep aside. In a pot, take water and to it add salt and bring the water to boil. Now, drop the mukhi kochu in the boiling water. Steam the mukhi kochu in boiling water for 5-7 minutes or till they are 80% cooked.

Make a smooth paste of the green peas, ginger and green chilies according to the amount listed in stuffing.

In a kadai, add oil and the ghee. As the oil starts smoking, temper it with bay leaves and asafoetida.

Then, add the green pea paste to the kadai and keep stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking to the kadai.

Add salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder to the mixture and continue cooking till all of the mixture starts coming together off the kadai. Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool.

Now, cut the head of the mukhi kochu of the height of about 1/2 inch from one end and keep them aside. With the back of the spoon gently scoop the flesh out of the kochu and keep it aside. Repeat this for all the kochus and keep aside. From the pea stuffing now, remove the bay leaves and generously fill the kochus with the stuffing. Cover the kochus with their cut heads kept aside and fix with a tooth pick such that the head remains in its place and prevents the stuffing from coming out of the mukhi kochhu.

In a kadai, add the oil and the ghee and heat it. Saute the mukhi kochu in the oil till the outer cover of the kochu turns brownish. Keep them aside.

Temper the remaining oil with cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cumin seeds, cardamom pods.

As the oil turns aromatic, add the paste of scooped kochu flesh, tomato and ginger to the kadai. Saute the mixture for couple of minutes.

Add the turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and garam masala powder to the kadai.

Continue sauteing till you see oil leaving the sides of the pan.

Now, add warm water to the kadai, followed by the stuffed kochu and let it simmer for about 10 minutes on low medium flame.

Gently flip and turn the kochus in between taking care not to open the sealing. Turn off the flame. Remove the tooth pick and slice the kochus and serve them along with the gravy.

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