Surna Nonche/Elephant yam pickle is an instant one that can be prepared quickly with very few ingredients. Such pickles are made usually during any festival or religious functions at home. They can be stored for a couple of days and can also be prepared a day earlier during any function without much fuss. You can substitute yam with bitter gourd or potato.
Ingredients
1/2 cup yam/ sooran
Salt to taste
For the masala paste:
1 tsp oil
2 tsp coriander/dhania seeds
2-3 methi/fenugreek seeds
Small chickpea size hing/asafoetida
12-15 byadgi/Kashmiri dry red chillies
Chickpea size tamarind
For the tempering:
2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard
2 sprigs of curry leaves
Procedure
wash and clean yam/sooran. Deskin it and chop finely into small cubes.
Apply 1 tsp salt and keep aside for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, wash well and squeeze all the water from the sooran/yam.
Heat oil and deep fry sooran cubes till they turn crisp and brown.
Transfer them on tissue paper. Once they come to room temperature store them in an airtight container. You can store them for a month.
To make the masala, heat oil and roast coriander, methi and hing till it turns golden brown and aromatic.
Transfer them on a plate and roast red chillies in the same pan.
Grind the roasted spices and red chillies with tamarind into a smooth paste.
Heat 2 tsp oil and roast the masala for 5-1o minutes on a low flame. Add 1/2 cup water and salt to taste, let it boil for 5 minutes. Turn off the flame.
Let the masala come to room temperature. Once it becomes cool add the fried yam/ sooran cubes and mix well.
Serve with hot rice and dal. You can also have this with neer dosa, idli or idiyappam. After one day store it in the refrigerator.
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