Pakistani sabzi · Crisp edges

Arvi Masala Recipe (Spiced Taro Root)

Boil whole. Cool before cutting. Ajwain.

Farwa ZeeshanRecipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchen

Arvi, taro root, is a Pakistani favourite cooked dry with ajwain and spices. It turns slimy when cut raw or overboiled. The fix is boiling it whole in its skin until just tender, cooling, peeling and frying the pieces until crisp at the edges, with ajwain and amchur.

Prep10m
Cook35m
Servings4
kcal / serving230
LevelEasy
Jump to the method

The 3 laws of arvi masala

Why this recipe works

Boil whole

Cut raw

Less slime.

Cool before cutting

Hot

Holds shape.

Ajwain

Plain

Classic flavour, aids digestion.

Shopping and prep list

Ingredients

Servings
Tap items as you gather them · 0 of 0 ready

Arvi

The NineFoods arvi gauge

Is it boiled right?

Pierce a root.

Tap a stage to see what to do.

Method · 3 stages

Step by step

1

Boil

Medium · 15 min
  1. Boil arvi whole until tender. Use the gauge above.
  2. Cool, peel and cut.
Look for: cooked arvi.
15:00
2

Fry

Medium · 15 min
  1. Crackle ajwain, fry onion, add arvi and spices; fry until crisp edges.
Look for: crisp arvi.
15:00
3

Finish

Low · 2 min
  1. Add amchur, chillies and coriander.
Look for: arvi masala.
02:00

Chef's troubleshooter

What went wrong? Pick the symptom

Why

Cut raw.

Fix next time

Boil whole first.

Why

Overboiled.

Fix next time

Boil until just tender.

Why

Undercooked arvi.

Fix next time

Cook fully; add amchur.

Why

No ajwain.

Fix next time

Add ajwain.

Swap smart

Ingredient roles and substitutes

IngredientJob in the dishSwap with
ArviMainBaby potatoes
AjwainAromaCumin
AmchurTangLemon
FryingCrispAir fryer

After the meal

Serve, store, reheat

Serve with

Roti, daal and raita.

Store

Fridge 2 days.

Reheat

Dry pan.

How we tested this recipe

Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio

Farwa Zeeshan

Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.

  • Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 4 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
  • Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
  • The doneness check (is it boiled right) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
  • Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.

Read our full testing process

Keep cooking

Related recipes and guides

All Daal and Sabzi recipesPakistani Daal TypesTarka10 Essential Pakistani Spices and How to Use Them

Quick answers

Arvi Masala FAQ

How do I stop arvi being slimy?

Boil it whole, cool, then cut.

Why does arvi itch?

Raw arvi has crystals; cook fully and add acid.

What is arvi in English?

Taro root or colocasia.

Can I air fry arvi?

Yes, after boiling.