Dafu/Dakhu - Gujarati Colocasia Leaves Curry

As I mentioned here, taro/colocasia leaves are very easy to grow. Just plant those taro roots/arvi in the soil and wait for the magic to happen. They love moist soil so water them regularly. and they just keep growing. I have been making almost all the taro leaves dishes. I take their abundant leaves and within 10 days, the next batch of leaves are ready for me to harvest.

My MIL shared this taro leaves curry which is a South Gujarati & probably one of the forgotten recipes.


Dafu /Dakhu
Gujarati Colocasia Leaves curry
Ingredients
1 bunch taro leaves/aLu/colcasia leaves, shredded along with stems
1/4 cup raw , unsalted peanuts, soaked in water for 2 hours
1/2 cup toor daal
1 tbsp jaggery
salt to taste
3 kokum, rinses
1 tomato, chopped
1 tsp green chili-ginger paste
1 tsp coriander - cumin powder

Tempering 1
1 tsp ghee/clarified butter
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 sprig of curry leaves, torn
2-3 boriya chilies or red chilies, halved

Tempering 2
1 tsp oil
3-4 cloves garlic, slivered

Garnish
1 tbsp cilantro/coriander leaves, chopped
1 tbsp fresh coconut (optional)

Method
1. Pressure cook toor daal in one container and leaves along with stems and peanuts in the other container. Mash the toor daal and set aside.
2. Heat ghee in a saucepan. Add all the ingredients for tempering1. As they sizzle, add mashed toor daal, leaves and peanuts. Add 1 1/2 cups water, kokum, salt, jaggery, tomato, chili-ginger paste & coriander-cumin seed powder. Bring to boil.
3. Add coconut if using and cilantro. Let it simmer. Adjust water depending on the desired consistency of the curry.
4.Heat oil in another saucepan. Add garlic slivers. As they turn a shade darker, drizzle the garlic oil over the daal. Switch off the gas. Cover with a lid.
5. Serve hot with rice.


Note -
1. Spinach can be substituted for taro leaves.
2. Dafu-chokha (rice) is considered as a delicacy in South Gujarat.
3. This recipe works well with the taro leaves which are meant for making curry and not paatra/aluvadi.

Update -
My friend, Madhavi shared that this is also called "Dakhu" so I have updated this post. Thanks a bunch, Madhavi.