Sounds like the title of an Enid Blyton story. But not so.

When we were playing the edible alphabet game in our family WhatsApp group 👉 Q for Queens 👸🏻, my dish for the letter Y was the very common yam. I have a love hate relationship with this vegetable. I love it enough to cook and eat it at least once a week. But hate it as it makes my hands itch.

The second I finish washing the cut yam pieces, the itching starts. I quickly transfer the pieces to the pressure cooker and put it on the stove. Then rush to apply cream on my hands to soothe the irritation.

Then I wait, all the while scratching my fingers. But soon after the first whistle hisses out of the pressure cooker, the itching stops, like magic✨. It always stops after the first whistle…..magic or make believe 😁!?

The Yam mezhukkupuratti is made by sauteing the boiled yam pieces in oil tempered with mustard seeds, dry red chillies, crushed shallots, crushed garlic, turmeric powder and curry leaves. Add salt to taste. I like a sprinkle to crushed pepper too 😋. A tasty side dish with rice. And below for lunch it is boiled rice, fish curry, yam mezhukkupuratti and pappadam !!

The ways to get around the itching from yam is to either apply oil on the hands before washing the yam pieces or use gloves. I am a bit apprehensive about handling the knife with oily hands and not too fond of using gloves while cooking.

Till next post, take care !!