Rikwach
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Colocasia leaves spread with spiced gram flour paste, rolled, steamed and sliced, then fried or cooked in gravy. A monsoon dish of Baghelkhand.
Region: Madhya Pradesh (Baghelkhand: Rewa, Satna, Sidhi), also Bundelkhand and eastern Uttar PradeshOccasion: Monsoon; festival mealsTime: 1 hourServes: 4Vegan
Ingredients
- 8 large colocasia (arbi) leaves
- 1½ cups besan
- 1 tsp ajwain
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tbsp tamarind pulp or 1 tsp amchur
- Salt to taste
- Water to make a thick paste
- Mustard oil for shallow frying
Method
- Wash the leaves, cut out the thick central vein and pat them dry.
- Mix besan, ajwain, spices, ginger-garlic, tamarind and salt with water into a thick, spreadable paste.
- Lay one leaf shiny side down, spread a thin layer of paste, place another leaf on top and repeat. Fold in the sides and roll tightly.
- Steam the rolls for 20–25 minutes until a knife comes out clean. Cool and cut into thick slices.
- Shallow-fry the slices in mustard oil until crisp, or simmer them in a tomato-onion gravy.
History
Colocasia leaves grow in abundance in the monsoon. Rolled and steamed leaf dishes are made in many parts of India; rikwach is the Baghelkhand and Bundelkhand version.
Significance
It is a seasonal dish of the rainy months. The tamarind or amchur is essential, as it stops the leaves from irritating the throat.