CHEANA VARUTTHATHU FRIED YAM
Dear friends, There are many yams like kacchil,(Purple yam) Chembu (colocassia), Cheana (Elephant yam) etc. growing under the ground.Either due to its size or any other reason). Chena in English is called ELEPHANT YAM, thebiggest of the yams. Today I was thinking aboutUpperies of nampoothiries and their likings, while eating banana chips withcoffee in the evening. Cheana upperi came to my remembrance, very favourite to Nampoothiries.If we offer to a nampoothiri, banana and elephant yam chips, his choice would befor elephant yam. The fried elephant yam chips arenot common in Tamilnadu. Probably due to difficulty in preparation or lessertakers. On those days yam chips was served for feasts. A time pass about Elephant yam. Sincerely, Gopala Krishnan 7-12-2012. Reposted on 4-5-2021 after editing and updating. R. Gopala Krishnan. 1. LEASE CULTIVATION Once there was an intelligentfarmer. He was having less land and asked another farmer having vast lands togive about half an acre for cultivation for his survival on lease. The otherfarmer was greedy but not intelligent. He agreed on certain conditions forlease. Seventy percent of the produceCOMING UP should be given to him andthe lessee has to look after all expenditures. He thought, afterwards he willhave nil. The lessee agreed to it, underthe condition, he willdecide the crop to be cultivated and he will give only 70% of produce COMINGUP. Our greedy farmer thought- I willget seventy percent COMING UP. What foolish farmer he is? He made an agreement that he willbe giving ONLY 70% of produce “COMING UP” in writing. Our intelligent farmer startedcultivation. He cultivated ELEPHANT YAM. As agreed, he cut on maturity all leaves and stems and brought ina cart and faithfully handed over 75%of them. And took remaining stems, and allyams with him telling the YAMS have grown underground. Being a good farmer next day, he took 30% of the yam, as a truthful man,the normal lease to the leasing farmer. Our greedy farmer did not getcontented with that 30% he gave the normal quantity to be given to the leasingman. Next year heamended the condition. Seventy percent of the produce GROWING DOWN should be given tohim and the lessee has to look after allexpenditures. He thought, afterwardsagain he would have nil. The lessee again agreed to it,under the condition, he will decide the crop to be cultivated and he will giveonly 70% of produce GROWING DOWN. Greedy farmer thought. He is having only ELEPHANT YAM FORNEXT CROP. So I will get 70% of coming down. He was somewhat correctin reasoning. Our lessee farmer thought- I havegiven 30% of produce which is legitimate. Still he is putting tough condition.I will change the crop though it is loss for me. He secretly gavehis yam to another farmer and EXCHANGED WITH PLANTAIN BUDDING. He planted plantains. As per the condition he gave 70% of“manazm” GROWING DOWN and took all PLANTAINS. Next day he handed over 30% ofplantains truthfully as given to the leasing person. Our greedy farmer now understoodhis folly and intelligence of his lessee farmer. He understood his goodnessalso giving 30% legally to be given both times. He understood the intelligence of the lessee farmer andchanged his mind. He went to the lessee farmer’shouse and said- I failed to understandyour goodness. I willnot put here afterwards any conditions to you. You may cultivateanything and can take any assistance as required from me also. You may give anyamount of produce as you like. He had changed so much. 2. CHEANA THANDAN A person having no physicalstrength, but bodygrowth (Pongathadian) is often told as Cheana thandan. 2A. CHEANA THANDU THORAN Similar to vazha thandu, chenathandu too was used for preparing thoran. The bottom portion used to be slightly reddish comparingto top, and it was more used. On those days in the market the stems wouldbe brought for sales. Nowadays nobodyuses the stem. 3. CHEANA- AN ITEM IN STORE ROOM CORNER. After cutting elephant yams are preserved in refrigeratorsince it gets dried at cutting surface, full ones finds there space in storeroom only. In agricultural houses, elephant yams used to be kept in numbers.Now from vegetable shops people purchase only in one kilogram or half kilogram.95% cut yams are sold on the same day. 4. CHEANAKKADI One of the important dishesprepared with chena is “chenakkadi”.Another use is kashanam in”pulisseri”.Those like kkootu make it as chena kkootu, and sometimes as Chenamezhukkupuratti. Some variety may give slight/gooditching. Sufficient quantity of tamarind has to be added to reduce the same.Washing well after removing external skin well, adding turmeric inpreparations, and wetting in turmeric water for some time, would reduce theitching effect in slightly issuing ones. Those itching more should bediscarded. Some have yam allergy. Their face would appear reddish on consuming.They should avoid consuming. 5. CHEANA VARUVAL For this preparation, the skin isdeeply removed, the yam is sliced to about 1.5cm x1.5 cm size with thickness ofabout 2 mm. It is washed in turmeric water after soaking for some time dried ina dry cloth for some time. The cloth will absorb water. It is fried in oil, duringthe time salt is added similar to adding for banana chips. The chips are soft, tasty, snackduring evening tea. Nampoothri Brahmins like chena varuval more. If I recollecton those days, chenavaruvalwas there for serving in srardha. 6. CHEANA THALAYAN A person having slightly flat andbig head was called Chena thalayan. During boyhood quarrels, it was nameaddressed on the opponent- Poda, Chena thalaya. The Rajasthani turbon appears like the elephant yam. 7. EDA KRISHI (IN BETWEEN CULTIVATION) It was a practice to cultivateelephant yam in between banana plants. Bananas require good spacing and anelephant yam in the centre, absorbed all excess manures. 8. MURICHHA CHEANA MATHIRI (LIKE CUT ELEPHANT YAM) Bigger wounds not healing wascompared to cut elephant yam. Nowadays, wounds are not permitted to grow, healedquickly other than not healing ones with leprosy patients. We hear not healing wounds withmany reported to have hitsnake pits/ ant pits. Recently I could see a lady pleading guilty of hitting a snake pitbefore a year and then onwards going to temples for her leg wound not healing. I met her once when I visitedTiruvizha, and she asked me, any temple where it can be cured. Some bodysuggested and she had come there. I told her to go to Dhanvantaritemple at Cherthala also with a firm belief that it will becured. Beliefs can achieve things. The stem of elephant yam hasmarks similar to the scaling of snakes. On boy hood days, we were cautioned notto go carelessly near yam plants. Probably a fallen stem decayed too could makeus fear it as snake. Yellow snakes may rarely see lying nearelephant yams plants -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1938834029.312215.1620144746128%40mail.yahoo.com.
