Name: Koorka Fry | Koorka Upperi | Chinese Potato Fry
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 250 g Koorka (Chinese Potato); 6-7 nos Shallots(crushed); 5 nos Garlic cloves(crushed); 1 sprig Curry leaves; 1-2 tsp Chilly powder; 1 tsp Mustard seeds; 1/2 cup Water; 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder; Salt (As reqd); Oil (As reqd)

Koorka Fry is a Kerala dish, a very tasty stir fry that goes perfect with hot rice. This is a seasonal vegetable that is quite popular in Kerala Cuisine. Koorka is also known as Chinese Potato in English. These type of veggies have a lot of mud/dirt in the outer skin. So the skin needs to be peeled off properly. Also the vegetable needs to be properly spiced and cooked to avoid the earthy smell. The skin comes off easily but since it is small and not uniform, it is time consuming. I put on some good music to distract myself and time flies off. But the work gets rewarded though in the end. I love Koorka Upperi with rice for noon day meals. No need for a non vegetarian dish. If you are new to chinese Potato, let me describe the taste and flavor. It almost resembles boiled peanuts. Te texture is unique, it is not easily mashed unlike other kizhangu varieties. It absorbs the spices well and suits the palate.

Chinese Potato Fry is quite popular in Kerala Cuisine. This vegetable is cultivated in plenty in Kerala and hence it is economical too. Traditionally the excess mud from koorka was cleaned by wrapping it in a bag and and smashing or rubbing well. The koorka fry I have illustrated here is a very simple recipe. Keep on roasting in low flame and you get a golden brown crust on the surface. It is best to enjoy the dish hot and fresh. It stays fresh throughout the day unlike other veggies. However you can store it for the next day in refrigerator. You just need to add some oil in a pan and roast it lightly. Koorka is rich in iron, calcium, thiamine and riboflavin. Polyphenol, a micronutrient present in Chinese Potato is good for fighting heart diseases and cancer too.

Koorka Fry | Koorka Upperi | Chinese Potato Fry

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Prep Time 20 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Cuisine Kerala

Servings people

Ingredients

250 g Koorka (Chinese Potato)
6-7 nos Shallots(crushed)
5 nos Garlic cloves(crushed)
1 sprig Curry leaves
1-2 tsp Chilly powder
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 cup Water
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt As reqd
Oil As reqd

Instructions

Remove the skin of the Koorka and cut them into small pieces.
Cook the koorka pieces in a pressure cooker for about 5 minutes adding 1/2 cup water, turmeric and required salt. Keep this aside.
Heat the oil in a frying pan.
Splutter mustard seeds and add crushed garlic and shallots. Add curry leaves. Fry in low flame till onion pieces are golden brown.
Add chilly powder and stir in low flame till raw smell goes off.
Add the cooked koorka pieces and stir in low flame.
Evaporate any remaining water from the upperi. Serve Koorka Upperi with rice as a side dish.