Season of Availability: Year-round, best in the sun.
Geography: Island Southeast Asia
Method of Propagation: Vegetative propagation
Part used for Propagation: Corms
Edible Parts
Edible Parts: Tubers
Can be Eaten Raw: No
Method of Consumption
Raw: No
Ripe: N/A
Both Raw & Ripe: No
Dangerous Form to Consume: When raw
As Food: Boiled and/or cooked as a vegetable in sabjis or pickles.
As Medicine: Tuber made into a paste with ghee and applied to swelling; juice is taken to treat piles.
Cooking Without Prior Boiling: No
Boiling Before Cooking: Yes
Pickling: N/A
Brining: N/A
Fermenting: N/A
Drying for later Consumption: Yes, Tuber
Overall Method: Can be made into a stir fry when shallow-fried with spices; can be cooked into a curry; can be mashed; can be pickled.
Nutritional & Medicinal Benefits
Nutritional Benefit: High in carbohydrates, phosphorus, calcium, and vitamin A.
Medicinal Benefit: Tuber is used to cure piles, dysentry, liver and spleen ailments, and haemorrhoides. Root is used to cure conjunctivitis and increase sparse menstrual flow.
Tribal Wisdom
Tribal Wisdom: Tuber made into a paste with ghee and applied to swelling; juice is taken to treat piles.
Recipes / Usage
Tribal Recipe / Usage: Kanda bachali:
Heat oil in a pan . Add urad dal, channa dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and red chillies.
Add hing, stir, and then add ginger, green chillies, and curry leaves.
Wash and chop Malabar Spinach leaves, and add them to the pan.
Add washed and cut Elephant's Foot Yam pieces to the pan. Add turmeric, salt, cover, and cook on low flame.
Add tamarind juice and a little bit of water. Mash the mixture with a ladle.
