Temperatures of 20-30 degrees celsius. Single monsoon season lasting four months from June to September. Rainfall amount 700 mm/year. Basaltic soil (black cotton soil).
Arvi is a tuber and propagates vegetatively. We planted.a few arvi that we bought at the vegetable market. Plant all year round. We grow them in the shade of a wall.
Plant all year round (avoid peak summer). Stalk to leaves in 3 weeks. They are ready to remove and cook in two months. 10 x 7 feet area gives a dozen plants through self-propagation. Each plant flowers and fruits only once. Gives 1 kilogram of arvi with market rate of Rs. 60/- once every month.
Jeevamrutha - 1 part cow dung + 1 part cow urine + 0.2 parts jaggery + 0.2 parts pulse flour and some soil. Cover, keep in shade, mix thrice a day. Incubate and use. Apply once a month.
Butterfly larvae often feed on the large leaves of this plant.
Arvi leaves and tubers can be eaten. They are rich in carbohydrates, proteins and minerals. Some Arvi can cause slight itchiness at the back of your throat.
Arvi are similar to potatoes. Best place to store them is in the ground till you feel like eating them! They will also stay fresh in the fridge for several weeks. They can also be grown till they get a tough outer skin and stored in a cool and dry place.
Arvi fry
Boil 300 grams of Arvi in water till nearly done. Allow to cool. Peel and chop into one-inch pieces. This will be a sticky process! Take a wide flat bottomed non-stick pan. Add 2 tablespoons of oil + salt + turmeric powder + cumming seeds or cummin powder + a very little asafoetida + chilli powder + choppped Arvi pieces. Fry for 10 minutes. Serve hot with chapathis.
Alu-chi bhaji
Boil 5 Alu leaves with salt and 3 green chillies. Cool, add 1 tablespoon of gram flour and grind together. In a pan, take 1 tablespoon of oil + 1 teaspoon of cummin seeds + the ground Alu leaf mixture + 1 teaspooon of sugar or jaggery + 1 tablespoon of tamarind pulp (tamarind reduces any itchiness from the Alu leaf) + 3 tablespoons of peanuts. Cook for 10 minutes and serve hot with rice (masale bhaath if you have it).