If you go by how the vegetable looks, you are least likely to pick the Suran! However, get rid of the muddy, uneven, rustic outer skin and you are left with a golden-coloured inner that is every food lover’s delight! 

Suran or yam is one of the treasures that the Indian veg market has to offer all ardent shoppers. Indeed, a delectable and multi-faceted tuber with multiple uses. 

Preparing the Suran

The vegetable is pretty hard to peel and chop, as in really firm and hard. After you peel it, remember to wash the peeled yam really well to remove any residual mud before processing further. You can slice the yam to make chips, or cube it for a subzi. Keep the chopped yam immersed in a bowl of water, till you are all set to cook it. It tends to oxidise and discolour if left open to the air.

Yam and Spinach Pulusu

Cooking the Suran

One good thing about yam is that it cooks surprisingly fast, compared to its scary firmness while chopping! It also has several interesting culinary uses. It is in-demand on fasting days because it is one of the few permissible ingredients. 

Suran (Yam) used in farali recipes for fasting during Indian festivals. 

Suran (Yam) used in farali recipes for fasting during Indian festivals.  Faraali Recipes – Yam is one of the most popular ingredients used while preparing faraali (fasting) meals, as it is filling and healthy too. You can make it into a delicious Suran Raita or even make a khichdi with it (try the Suran Aloo Khichdi).

Yam Raita, Farali Suran Raita Recipe

There is the farali idli sambar is a good fasting recipe for those who love this combo as idli is made from sanwa millet sambar is made from suran. 

Suran (yam) used in Indian starters and snacks

Suran is used in Indian snacks and starters. Crunchy somethings – You can slice the yam, golden-fry it and spice it to make yummy Suran Chips. You can also mix it with besan to make scrumptious Suran Pakoda or Yam Fritters. Yam is an ideal ingredient to make starters like Farmaishi Suran and Suran Chana Dal Tikkis. Its slightly spongy-chewy texture makes it perfect to make Seekh Kebabs like Suran Chana Dal Seekh Kebabs. 

Suran Chana Dal Tikkis

Suran (yam)  used in sabzis

Delectable Subzis made with suran – Suran works well in teams. You can try making Suran Paneer Stir-Fry or Suran and Raw Kela Subzi. It can also be cooked separately, as in the Shallow-Fried Yam Recipe. 

Shallow Fried Yam Recipe, Suran Snack

Suran (yam)  used for kids and elders

Mashed Yam – One of the simplest dishes to make with yam, which can be enjoyed by young children and elders too. Simply mash the cooked yam, add a little tamarind paste and cook for a minute with a tempering of mustard, jeera, hing and curry leaves. 

Did you know, in villages, Suran is burried in the mud near thier houses?

Suran is an inexpensive and versatile vegetable with a long shelf-life. Thankfully, it is very tasty too. It is so handy that in South Indian villages, people tend to keep a few yams buried in the mud near their houses, so they can dig one up and cook on a rainy day when they cannot go out to shop for supplies! 

Explore some of the tasty uses of this unique tuber…