Get your hero ingredient ready -Remove the skin of the yam with a peeler or a knife and cut it into big pieces (shape does not matter now). After you're done, clean them in water. Tip :Uncooked yam gets itchy when in contact with water. But you gotta clean it really well. So, the best way is to run it under water in a sieved vessel. If you don't have this, clean it in a container, changing water a few times. Use a spatula to rinse, so that your hands don't itch at all.

Pressure cook the yam pieces in water with salt, turmeric and slit green chilis for about 4-5 whistles. The cooking time may slightly vary depending on the yam, but it needs to cook really well. Tip : Worry about under cooking, not over cooking because you're gonna mash it anyway.Add water, just enough to cover it-you don't want it to be runny, it should be a thick gravy.

Now, make the coconut paste- grind the grated coconut along with cumin seeds, shallots, garlic and a little salt. Add in some water and grind it well-to a chutney-paste consistency.

Once it is cooled down, open the pressure cooker and mash the yam pieces well. Add the coconut paste, mix and keep on sim. You can put off the flame just before it starts to boil.

Now for the last touch, heat the coconut oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add in curry leaves, chopped shallots with a dash of red chilli powder-get them all charred.Pour this seasoning into the yam gravy, mix and serve hot. Goes best with kanji. You can dilute this with some water and use it as a curry for rice too.

The accompaniment details : Rice porridge /gruel (Kanji) - well pressure cooked kerala rice (matta) with lots of water and slightly salted. Morumvellam (a curd based drink) -Kaachi moru curry without coconut (google it, you'll get so many recipes) diluted with water and salted to taste....