Types Of Colocasia Used In Konkani Cuisine (Alva Paan)

Konkani cuisine is known for its variety of dishes. Alva paan, a popular Konkani dish, has three types of colocasia used in the preparation.

The colocasia leaves curry recipe is a dish that is typically made with colocasia leaves and coconut milk. It can be found in Konkani cuisine, which is the language of Goa, India.

In Konkani cuisine, a number of colocasia plants are utilized. Colocasia plants may be found all over the western ghats and along the coast of Karnataka. Some are abundant throughout the year, while others are only abundant during the monsoon season.

With the arrival of the monsoon, colocasia plants proliferate along the coast of Karnataka. Colocasia comes in a variety of colors and grows like weeds all over the place. These are the kinds of colocasia that may be found around the coast of Karnataka and are utilized in Konkani cuisine. Various kinds of colocasia have different textures and thicknesses of leaves and stems, making them ideal for different types of dishes and cooking.

The following are the most popular colocasia types used in Konkani cuisine in the Udupi, Mangalore, and Kundapur regions:

1. In Konkani, it’s called Pandalva paan.
2. In Konkani, there is a phrase “tere paan.”
3. In Konkani, it’s called Marvala paan.
4. In Konkani, Bombay alvo 
5. In Konkani, chitte paan means “chitte paan.” 

For generations, Konkani people have used this plant family for colocasia corms, colocasia leaves, and colocasia stems. Colocasia has been loved by Konkani’s like no other vegetable, and they’ve created some delectable dishes using it. They’ve figured out how to utilize every component of colocasia to create a variety of delights. 

If there’s one thing that can drive a Konkani gourmet insane, it’s delicious colocasia plants, also known as alva paan in Konkani. We have a strong desire to create some delicious, spicy pathrado using colocasia leaves whenever we see them. Pathrode (colocasia leaves pinwheels) that are soft and boiling hot with plenty of coconut oil on top are a wonderful delight!! The passion Konkani has for pathrado and colocasia leaves is unfathomable! Pathrado is without a doubt the KING of Konkani food.

We also prepare a variety of additional delights using the following ingredients:

1. Leaves of Colocasia (alva paan in Konkani)

• Spicy rice idlis with colocasia leaves (alva panna sanna khotto).
• Pinwheels of Alva panna pathrado/sijel pathrado – colocasia leaves
• Colocasia leaves are served as a side dish with Alva panna gojju alva panna gojju alva panna goj alva panna gojju alva panna goj alva panna gojju alva panna goj.
• Alvati is a tasty Konkani dish made with colocasia leaves.
• Pinwheels of shallow-fried colocasia leaves are known as bhajil pathrado.
• Deep-fried colocasia leaves pinwheels are known as talel pathrado.
• Ganti sukke alva panna panna panna panna panna panna panna pann is a spicy side dish prepared with colocasia leaves knotted together with jackfruit seeds and field marrow. 
• Colocasia leaves are used to make Alva panna bhutti, a spicy, dry side dish.
• Spicy colocasia leaves fritters (Alva panna ambado).
• Pinwheels of Alva panna pathrade upakari/usli – a stir of colocasia leaves.
• Pathrade gashi is a spicy coconut dish with pinwheels of colocasia leaves.
• Coconut curries with chickpeas include colocasia leaves. In Konkani, it’s known as chane, alva panna randayi/gashi. 

2. stems of colocasia (Alva panna dentu in Konkani)

Colocasia stems that are tender and ripe are used to make:

• Colocasia stems and other vegetables are used in a spicy coconut dish called gajbaje ambat. Colocasia stems are used in curries with other vegetables since they become too mushy and lose their texture when cooked. They can’t be used on their own to create curries.
• Alva panna denti upkari is a Konkani stir fried with colocasia stems and hog plums.
• Cooked colocasia stems in a coconut-based side dish known in Konkani as sasam.
• Cooked colacasia stems in a spicy, dry side dish known in Konkani as alva panna denti sukke.

3. Tubers and corms of Colocasia (maddi in Konkani)

• Maddi phodi is a tasty fritter made from colocasia tuber that has been shallow fried and deep fried.
• Colocasia tuber chips (maddi mand).
• Maddi sukke/gona (colocasia tubers) is a spicy, dry side dish.
• Maddi tarmbut is a spicy pickle prepared from colocasia tubers that have been shallow fried.
• Maddi koot is a spicy coconut chutney served with shallow fried colocasia tubers.

4. In Konkani, the roots of the Colocasia plant are used to create spicy side dishes known as alva mula sukke, alva ganti sukke, or kal alva ganti sukke.

When foraging for colocasia leaves and cooking colocasia leaves and stems, there are a few things to keep in mind. You may find them here.

Pandalva paan in Konkani is a kind 1 colocasia.

Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott is the scientific name for this plant.

Characteristics:

1. Heart-shaped colocasia leaves with green stalks characterize this colocasia cultivar.
2. This kind of colocasia may be seen all year. 
3. It thrives in gloomy, wet environments.
4. This kind of colocasia has soft leaves and may be used to create any colocasia leaf dish.
5. These colocasia leaves become extremely soft during cooking and are a delight to eat. 
6. Because the leaves of this type don’t grow many veins, you won’t have to bother about deveining them before cooking.

This type of colocasia may be used to create the following dishes: 

This type of Colcoasia leaves is ideal for making:

1. Pathrado is a term used to describe a (sijel pathrado in Konkani)
2. Alva panna gojju
3. fried pathrado in a shallow fryer
4. Ganti sukke alva panna panna panna panna panna panna panna pann

Colocasia type 2: Tere paan in Konkani

Colocasia esculenta is the scientific name for this plant.

Characteristics:

1. This kind of colocasia only blooms during the monsoon season. With the arrival of the monsoon, they bloom in profusion all around.
2. The leaves of this colocasia type are elongated and heart-shaped. 
3. The leaves of this colocasia species are the most delicate and extremely velvety.
4. These colocasia leaves cook quickly and become very tender.
5. This variety’s colocasia leaves are the finest to use in any colocasia recipe.
6. When cooked, this type of colocasia leaves is a wonderful pleasure to eat.
7. Because this type lacks strong, rigid veins, you won’t have to bother about deveining the leaves before cooking.

This type of colocasia may be used to create the following dishes: 

This type of Colcoasia leaves is ideal for making:

1. Alvati
2. Pathrado
3. Alva panna gojju
4. Alva panna ganti sukke

In Konkani, type 3 colocasia is known as Marvala paan.

Characteristics:

1. This kind of colocasia is found on trees. As a result, they’re also known as rook alva paan in Konkani.
2. Only during the monsoon season does this kind of colocasia flower. The Konkani people is very interested in this type of colocasia since it is seasonal.
3. The leaves of this colocasia type are thick and dark green in color, with mild to dark pink pigmentation on the reverse.

This type of colocasia may be used to create the following dishes: 

1. This type of colocasia leaves is used to create crispy, tasty deep-fried pathrado. Pathrado that has been deep fried is very tasty. Also ideal for deep frying are these thick colocasia leaves.
2. We Konkanis like steaming pathrado prepared from this type of colocasia leaves. 

Bombay alvo in Konkani, type 4 colocasia

Characteristics:

1. Colocasia Bombay alvo is a year-round accessible cultivar of colocasia.
2. The leaves of this colocasia type are heart-shaped and have a slight demarcation on the sides. 
3. Because the leaves of this kind of colocasia are thick, they aren’t ideal for meals like alva panna ganti sukke, alvati, and other similar dishes. 
4. Colocasia leaves of this type must be cooked properly.

There are two types of colocasia plants: white stemmed and black stemmed colocasia plants.

Colocasia plants with white stems:

In Konkani, the colocasia variant with white stems is known as dhavi bombay alvo or dhavi bombay alva paan. Below are some images:

Colocasia plants with black stems:

In Konkani, this black-stemmed colocasia is known as kali bombay alva paan or kali bombay alvo. In the images below, take note of the stem color:

Dishes that may be made using the colocasia types listed above include: 

1. The thick stems of this colocasia plant type are utilized in curries like gajbaje ambat.

This type of Colocasia leaves is used to make:

1. pathrode steamed
2. Alva panna gojju  

In Konkani, type 5 colocasia is known as Chitte paan.

Caladium bicolor is the scientific name for this plant.

The Konkani term for pigmented colocasia leaves is chitte paan. They come in a variety of colors and styles.

Calladiums come in a variety of colors and shapes.

Characteristics:

1. When cooked, the leaves of this cultivar become a bit rubbery.

This cultivar may be used to create the following dishes:

1. Steamed pathrado and pan-fried pathrado are made using this type of leaves.

 

There are colocasia types whose leaves are not utilized in Konkani cuisine but are reported to be used in other areas of India. They are as follows:

Elephant ears: This variety’s massive colocasia leaves aren’t utilized in Konkani cuisine.

Taro from the Swamp:

Cyrtosperma chamissonis is the scientific name for this plant.

Large leaves characterize this cultivar, which produces subterranean colocasia tubers.

Note: The scientific names have been referred from http://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/229293. That website contains all of the essential information about colocasia’s location and growing circumstances. Take a peek if you’re interested. Please let me know if there is any error in my identity. Please let me know if any of the scientific names given are incorrect.

Tags: alva paan, taro plants, colocasia leaves, kinds of colocasia, Konkani cookery, Konkani cuisine, Konkani colocasia recipes

Alva is a Konkani dish that includes Colocasia leaves. It is usually prepared with coconut milk and spices. Reference: alvati recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the different types of Colocasia?

Colocasia are a type of plant that grow in the ground, with leaves that are round and green.

What is Arbi called in Konkani?

Arbi is a Konkani word that means little sister.

What is Colocasia used for?

Colocasia is a genus of large perennial flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. The leaves are eaten as a vegetable and the young stem can be boiled or steamed.

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