I guarantee you will love this easy-to-make, spicy, no onion, no garlic North India style arbi ki sabji.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Jump to:
I know some of you believe onion and garlic to be the holy grail of Indian cooking. But this arbi curry recipe is here to bust those myths for good. It is a wholesome, delicious, no onion, no garlic recipe. It is a vegetarian colocasia (taro) root curry.
Some vegetables taste better fried, and some are best in spicy curry. And then some taste as good regardless of how you cook them. One such vegetable is the versatile arbi or colocasia. I love it both ways – as a Punjabi Style Arbi Fry or on festive occasions as a sattvic style curry without onion or garlic.
About Colocasia Root
Taro root is an edible tropical plant widely consumed all over the tropical regions. It is sometimes called the itchy potato because of the itchiness one feels in their fingers or palm soon after peeling the skin of the taro root.
In India, the taro root is known as arbi. Often touted as a high source of carb and fiber (and compared to a potato), this root vegetable is almost as versatile and can be used in anything from curries to stir-fry.
Once cooked the right way, arbi is a super delicious, gluten-free vegetable, and itchiness will be the last thing on anyone’s mind.
How To Cut Colocasia Root
Step 1) If you have disposable or a dedicated pair of kitchen gloves, please use them for cleaning taro roots. If not, then apply mustard oil or coconut oil to your hands.
Step 2) Take a sharp pairing knife or a peeler and remove the brown skin of the taro root.
Step 3) Wash taro roots with water to remove all the dirt particles. I soak them in salted water for 5 minutes. This helps in reducing the itchiness and starchiness of the taro root.
Step 4) Once cleaned, transfer them to a colander or kitchen towel to dry up.
Step 5) Once again, use a pair of gloves or apply oil to your hands, and slice the taro roots into equal size rounds.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Curry Paste: A homemade, wet paste of fresh tomato, ginger, and water.
- Ghee: It gives a sweet taste and aroma to the arbi ki sabji. Plus, it’s ideal fat for making any sattvic food.
- Spices: Cumin, Mustard Seeds, Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder, Corriander Powder, Garam Masala
- Other Ingredients: Green Chili, Water, Salt, Asafoetida
Watch Arbi Curry Video
Serving Suggestion
To plan an Indian festive meal for the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, or Janmashtmi, sattvic dishes like arbi curry always come in handy.
For a wholesome sattvic dinner, serve arbi ki sabji with kuttu (buckwheat flour) ki puri or the regular wheat flour poori, spinach poori, pomegranate raita, and vrat ki kheer.
Arbi Curry is an Indian main course dish that tastes delicious with paratha.
More Indian Curry Recipes for you to try
- Chana Saag
- Paneer Curry
- Potato Curry
- Cauliflower Curry
- Lauki Kofta Curry
- Soya Chaap Curry
- Jain Paneer Butter Masala
follow us on Youtube and Instagram for video recipes.

Arbi Ki Sabji Recipe
- Heavy Bottom Kadhai
- Blender
Ingredients
- 200 gram arbi (colocasia root)
- 4 tablespoon ghee
- 1 Cup chopped tomato
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 ¼ Cup water
- 2 green chilli, sliced
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala (get recipe)
- 1 tablespoon fresh coriander to garnish
Instructions
- Clean, wash, pat dry, peel, and cut the arbi into round slices of equal size. Set aside in a colander till required.
- Make a smooth paste of tomato and ginger using ¼ cup of water in a blender. Transfer to a bowl.
- Next, heat ghee in a heavy bottom kadhai/pan. Fry the sliced arbi over medium heat till crisp and golden. Transfer to a plate and set it aside.
- To the same pan, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and asafoetida. Fry for 20 – 30 seconds to release their aroma.
- Next, add the tomato paste, salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Fry it nicely over low heat until the oil starts separating from the masala. This takes 5 – 6 minutes.
- Add remaining 1 Cup water, green chili, garam masala, and simmer the curry over low heat for 2 – 3 minutes.
- Now, add the fried arbi slices and mix nicely. Cover and cook the curry over low heat for 5 minutes or till arbi is cooked.
- Garnish arbi ki sabji with fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve arbi ki sabji with puri or paratha.
Recipe Notes:
- It is usually best to wash colocasia roots a few hours before chopping so they do not remain slimy to the touch.
- Nicely pat dry the roots with a kitchen towel before peeling and slicing.
- While slicing the arbi make sure it is not too thick otherwise it will take a longer time to get cooked.
- To make a vegan curry, you can use coconut oil or mustard oil instead of ghee.










Leave Your Rating & Comment