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Colocasia and amaranth stalk curry in a clay bowl, topped with garlic, mustard seeds and curry leaves, with white rice behind it.

Dant da Kajipu | Colocasia and Amaranth Stalk Curry

A Mangalorean coconut curry made with saved colocasia and amaranth stalks, finished with a golden garlic tempering.
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Ingredients
  

The stalks

  • 500 g colocasia and tender amaranth stalks combined prepared weight; outer fibres removed where needed, cut into chunks
  • tamarind a little, for cooking the stalks
  • salt to taste
  • water as needed
  • 2 hog plums (ambade) optional, if available

Coconut and spice paste

  • 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
  • 5–7 dried red chillies roasted
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds roasted
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds roasted
  • 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds roasted
  • 1/2 tsp peppercorns
  • 1/2 lime-sized ball of tamarind
  • water just enough to grind

Tempering

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 4 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 6–8 curry leaves

Instructions
 

  • Make a small cut at the top of the colocasia stalks and pull away the tough outer fibres with your fingers. Very tender stalks can be left unpeeled. Wash and cut into chunks. Prepare the tender amaranth stalks, removing tough sections. Use 500 g combined prepared stalks.
  • Put both kinds of stalks into a pot with water, a little tamarind and salt. Boil until fully tender. If using ambade, add two to the pot with the stalks.
  • Roast the red chillies, coriander, cumin and fenugreek gently, without burning them. Cool, then grind with fresh coconut, peppercorns and the tamarind for the paste. Add only enough water to help the mixer along. Keep garlic, mustard and curry leaves aside for tempering.
  • Transfer the paste to a pot, add some water and salt, and bring it to a boil. Adjust the water to make a curry that can be spooned over rice.
  • Stir the cooked stalks into the bubbling coconut masala. Let the curry boil gently for a few more minutes so the flavours come together. Check the salt and tanginess before adding more of the stalk cooking liquid.
  • Heat coconut oil in a small pan. Add chopped garlic and let it turn golden. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves, let the mustard splutter, and pour the tempering over the curry. Take care not to burn the garlic.
  • Spoon the Kajipu over freshly cooked rice.

Notes

Use 500 g of the two prepared stalk varieties combined, not 500 g of each. The oil, garlic, mustard and curry-leaf measures are approved reference-based starting quantities; the original method and coconut paste are preserved. Cook the stalks fully before adding to the masala. Ambade are optional; adjust tamarind to their sourness. The coconut is freshly grated, not roasted. Keep garlic, mustard and curry leaves out of the ground paste.