uDikina pimmaTa miriyamu poDibellamu challi yuddupoDi rAlichi nE
tiDi nerraga vEchina vEpuDu ganda miLiMdavENi poMduga niDiyen
Kakumanu Murti Kavi, the celebrated author of Panchali Parinayamu, flourished during the reign of Sri Krishnadevaraya. The fourth chapter of his work contains numerous verses describing the dishes and culinary traditions of his time.
In this verse, he describes vepudu kanda, a traditional fried yam dish, and hails kanda as “Kandanayaka”—the king of tuber vegetables.
Fried Yam: To prepare vepudu kanda, cut the yam into pieces, boil them until tender, and drain well. Fry the pieces in a little ghee, adding black pepper powder, a little jaggery powder and urad dal flour. Fry until they turn crisp and reddish brown. The result is the delicious traditional vepudu kanda.
Kanda, pendalam, karra-pendalam, colocasia, and lotus and banana stems are all suitable for frying. Tender vegetables such as potato, carrot and beetroot are better suited to moist preparations like iguru curries than to prolonged frying.
Yam Pickle: Kanda can also be made into a flavourful pickle. Grated kanda is mixed with salt and tamarind and left to marinate for two days. Chilli powder and fenugreek powder are then added, followed by tempering. The result is a delicious pickle that keeps well.
Kanda Attu and Halwa: Soaked rice, green gram, kanda, ginger and chilli can be ground together to make kanda attu. Kanda is also used to prepare halwa.
Yam Herbal Tea: Kanda can also be prepared as a simple herbal tea. Add a spoonful of yam paste to a cup of water, cook and drain before drinking. Traditionally, this preparation is taken once or twice a day and is believed to promote easy bowel movements.
How Potatoes Replaced Kanda: Potatoes were introduced into India from America in the eighteenth century. As we gradually became accustomed to them, we almost completely forgot kanda, which had long been an important part of our traditional diet.
Traditional Ayurvedic Uses: Traditionally, kanda is valued for its nourishing and digestive properties and for restoring strength and vitality. Ayurvedic texts describe it as a rasayana—a rejuvenating food believed to nourish the body’s tissues and help overcome weakness and fatigue.
Kanda is mildly heating, pungent and astringent, yet easy to digest. It is traditionally believed to balance kapha and vata, relieve constipation, gas, bloating and abdominal discomfort, and promote easy bowel movements. It is also traditionally used for piles and certain toxic conditions.
Regular consumption is believed to support intestinal health, vitality and sexual health, and male fertility. Traditional practice also regards kanda as beneficial for breathlessness, asthma, cough, diabetes, liver disorders, varicose veins, swelling and intestinal worms.
For piles, a paste of kanda, ginger and salt is traditionally taken in a small quantity mixed with a glass of buttermilk. The same preparation is also traditionally recommended for amoebiasis.
Thus, the humble kanda is much more than an ordinary tuber. It is a nutritious food, a versatile ingredient and an important part of our traditional culinary and Ayurvedic heritage. Including it in the diet at least once a week is recommended in traditional practice.
Dr. G.V. Purnachand
