Culinary Taro is a food staple in various
African,
Asian and
Oceanic cultures. are roasted, baked or boiled. The natural sugars give a sweet, nutty flavor. The starch is easily digestible, and since the grains are fine and small it is often used for baby food. In its raw form, the plant is toxic due to the presence of
calcium oxalate, and the presence of needle-shaped
raphides in the plant cells. However, the toxin can be minimized and the tuber rendered palatable by cooking, or by steeping in cold water overnight. Corms of the small, round variety are peeled and boiled, then sold either
frozen, bagged in their own liquids, or
canned.
Oceania Cook Islands Taro is the pre-eminent crop of the
Cook Islands and surpasses all other crops in terms of land area devoted to production. The prominence of the crop there has led it to be a staple of the population's diet. Taro is grown across the country, but the method of cultivation depends on the nature of the island it is grown on. Taro also plays an important role in the country's export trade. The root is eaten boiled, as is standard across
Polynesia. Taro leaves are also eaten, cooked with coconut milk, onion, and meat or fish.
Fiji of cooked staples: taro and
cassava (white) Taro (
dalo in
Fijian) has been a staple of the Fijian diet for centuries, and its cultural importance is celebrated on
Taro Day. Its growth as an export crop began in 1993 when
taro leaf blight devastated the taro industry in neighboring
Samoa. Fiji filled the void and was soon supplying taro internationally. Almost 80% of Fiji's exported taro comes from the island of
Taveuni where the taro beetle species
Papuana uninodis is absent. The Fijian taro industry on the main islands of
Viti Levu and
Vanua Levu faces constant damage from the beetles. The Fiji Ministry of Agriculture and the Land Resources Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) are researching pest control and instigating quarantine restrictions to prevent the spread of the pest. Taveuni now exports pest-damage-free crops.
Hawaii Kalo is taro's
Hawaiian name. The local crop plays an important role in Hawaiian culture and
Indigenous religion. Taro is a traditional
staple of the
native cuisine of Hawaii. Some of the uses for taro include
poi, table taro (steamed and served like a potato), taro chips, and
lūʻau leaf (to make
laulau). In Hawaii, kalo is farmed under either dryland or wetland conditions. Taro farming there is challenging because of the difficulties of accessing fresh water. Kalo is usually grown in "pond fields" known as
loʻi. Typical dryland or "upland" varieties (varieties grown in watered but not flooded fields) are
lehua maoli and
bun long, the latter widely known as "Chinese taro".
Bun long is used for making taro chips.
Dasheen (also called "eddo") is another dryland variety cultivated for its corms or as an ornamental plant. A contemporary Hawaiian diet consists of many tuberous plants, particularly
sweet potato and kalo. The Hawaii Agricultural Statistics Service determined the 10-year median production of kalo to be about 6.1 million pounds (2,800 t). However, 2003 taro production was only 5 million pounds (2,300 t), the lowest since record-keeping began in 1946. The previous low (1997) was 5.5 million pounds (2,500 t). Despite generally growing demand, production was even lower in 2005—only 4 million pounds, with
kalo for processing into
poi accounting for 97.5%. Urbanization is one cause driving down harvests from the 1948 high of 14.1 million pounds (6,400 t), but more recently, the decline has resulted from pests and diseases. A non-native
apple snail (
Pomacea canaliculata) is a major culprit along with a plant rot disease traced to a species of
fungus in the genus
Phytophthora that now damages kalo crops throughout Hawaii. Although
pesticides could control both problems to some extent, pesticide use in the
loʻi is banned because of the opportunity for chemicals to migrate quickly into streams, and then eventually the sea.
Social roles Important aspects of Hawaiian culture revolve around
kalo. For example, the newer name for a traditional Hawaiian feast, the
lūʻau, comes from
kalo. Young
kalo tops baked with
coconut milk and chicken meat or
octopus arms are frequently served at
luaus. By ancient Hawaiian custom, fighting is not allowed when a bowl of
poi is "open". It is also disrespectful to fight in front of an elder and one should not raise their voice, speak angrily, or make rude comments or gestures. Wetland-grown kalo need a constant flow of water. About 300 varieties of kalo were originally brought to Hawaiʻi (about 100 remain). The kalo plant takes seven months to grow until harvest, so
lo`i fields are used in rotation and the soil can be replenished while the
loʻi in use has sufficient water. Stems are typically replanted in the
lo`i for future harvests.
History One mythological version of Hawaiian ancestry cites the taro plant as an ancestor to Hawaiians. Legend joins two siblings of high and divine rank:
Papahānaumoku ("Papa from whom lands are born", or Earth mother) and
Wākea (Sky father). Together they create the islands of Hawaii and a beautiful woman,
Hoʻohokukalani (The Heavenly one who made the stars). The second child born of Wākea and Hoʻohokukalani was named
Hāloa after his older brother. The kalo of the earth was the sustenance for the young brother and became the principal food for successive generations. The Hawaiian word for family, ''
, is derived from ʻohā'', the shoot that grows from the kalo corm. As young shoots grow from the corm of the kalo plant, so people, too, grow from their family.
Niue The taro is one of the staple crop in Niue, and also exported to New Zealand, including a pink variety.
Papua New Guinea The taro corm is a traditional
staple crop for large parts of
Papua New Guinea, with a domestic trade extending its consumption to areas where it is not traditionally grown. Taro from some regions has developed particularly good reputations with (for instance)
Lae taro being highly prized. Among the
Urapmin people of Papua New Guinea, taro (known in
Urap as
ima) is the main source of sustenance along with the
sweet potato (Urap:
wan). In fact, the word for "food" in Urap is a
compound of these two words.
Polynesia Considered the staple starch of traditional
Polynesian cuisine, taro is both a common and prestigious food item that was first introduced to the Polynesian islands by prehistoric seafarers of Southeast Asian derivation. The tuber itself is prepared in various ways, including baking, steaming in
earth ovens (
umu or
imu), boiling, and frying. The famous Hawaiian staple
poi is made by mashing steamed taro roots with water. Taro also features in traditional desserts such as Samoan ''fa'ausi
, which consists of grated, cooked taro mixed with coconut milk and brown sugar. The leaves of the taro plant also feature prominently in Polynesian cooking, especially as edible wrappings for dishes such as Hawaiian laulau, Fijian and Samoan palusami
(wrapped around onions and coconut milk), and Tongan lupulu'' (wrapped corned beef). Ceremonial presentations on occasion of chiefly rites or communal events (weddings, funerals, etc.) traditionally included the ritual presentation of raw and cooked taro roots/plants. The Hawaiian
laulau traditionally contains pork, fish, and ''lu'au
(cooked taro leaf). The wrapping is inedible ti
leaves (Hawaiian: lau ki''). Cooked taro leaf has the consistency of cooked spinach and is therefore unsuitable for use as a wrapping.
Samoa In Samoa, the baby talo leaves and coconut milk are wrapped into parcels and cooked, along with other food, in an earth oven . The parcels are called
palusami or ''lu'au
. The resulting taste is smoky, sweet, savory and has a unique creamy texture. The root is also baked (talo tao
) in the umu
or boiled with coconut cream (faálifu talo''). It has a slightly bland and starchy flavor. It is sometimes called the Polynesian potato.
Tonga Lū is the Tongan word for the edible leaves of the taro plant (called
talo in Tonga), as well as the traditional dish made using them. This meal is still prepared for special occasions and especially on Sunday. The dish consists of chopped meat, onions, and coconut milk wrapped in a number of taro leaves (
lū talo). This is then wrapped traditionally in a banana leaf (nowadays, aluminum foil is often used) and put in the
ʻumu to cook. It has a number of named varieties, dependent on the filling: •
Lū pulu –
lū with beef, commonly using imported
corned beef (
kapapulu) •
Lū sipi –
lū with lamb •
Lū moa –
lū with chicken •
Lū hoosi –
lū with horse meat
Oceanian atolls The islands situated along the border of the three main parts of
Oceania (
Polynesia,
Micronesia and
Melanesia) are more prone to being atolls rather than volcanic islands (most prominently
Tuvalu,
Tokelau, and
Kiribati). As a result of this, taro was not a part of the traditional diet due to the infertile soil and has only become a staple today through importation from other islands (taro and
cassava cultivars are usually imported from
Fiji or
Samoa). The traditional staple, however, is the
swamp taro known as
pulaka or babai, a distant relative of the taro but with a very long growing phase (3–5 years), larger and denser corms and coarser leaves. It is grown in a patch of land dug out to give rise to the freshwater lense beneath the soil. The lengthy growing time of this crop usually confines it as a food during festivities, much like pork, although it can be preserved by drying out in the sun and storing it somewhere cool and dry to be enjoyed out of harvesting season.
East Asia China Taro () is commonly used as a main course as steamed taro with or without
sugar, as a substitute for other
cereals, in
Chinese cuisine in a variety of styles and provinces steamed, boiled or stir-fried as a main dish and as a flavor-enhancing ingredient. In Northern China, it is often boiled or steamed then peeled and eaten with or without sugar much like a potato. It is commonly braised with
pork or
beef. It is used in the
Cantonese dim sum to make a small plated dish called
taro dumpling as well as a pan-fried dish called
taro cake. It can also be shredded into long strips which are woven together to form a
seafood birdsnest. In
Fujian cuisine, it is steamed or boiled and mixed with
starch to form a
dough for
dumplings. Taro cake is traditionally eaten during
Chinese New Year celebrations. As a dessert, it can be mashed into a
purée or used as a flavoring in
tong sui,
ice cream, and other desserts such as sweet taro pie. McDonald's sells taro-flavored
pies in China. Taro is mashed in the dessert known as
taro purée. dessert from China Taro paste, a traditional Cantonese cuisine, which originated from the
Chaoshan region in the eastern part of China's
Guangdong Province is a dessert made primarily from taro. The taro is steamed and then mashed into a thick paste, which forms the base of the dessert. Lard or fried onion oil is then added for fragrance. The dessert is traditionally sweetened with water chestnut syrup, and served with ginkgo nuts. Modern versions of the dessert include the addition of coconut cream and sweet corn. The dessert is commonly served at traditional Teochew wedding banquet dinners as the last course, marking the end of the banquet.
Japan A similar plant in Japan is called . The "child" and "grandchild" corms (cormels, cormlets) which bud from the parent
satoimo, are called and , respectively, or more generally .
Satoimo has been propagated in
Southeast Asia since the late
Jōmon period. It was a regional staple before
rice became predominant. The tuber,
satoimo, is often prepared through simmering in fish stock (
dashi) and soy sauce. The stalk, , can also be prepared a number of ways, depending on the variety.
Korea '' (taro soup) In Korea, taro is called
toran (: "earth egg"), and the corm is stewed and the leaf stem is stir-fried. Taro roots can be used for medicinal purposes, particularly for treating insect bites. It is made into the Korean traditional soup
toranguk (토란국). Taro stems are often used as an ingredient in
yukgaejang (육개장).
Taiwan In
Taiwan, taro—
yùtóu () in Mandarin, and
ō͘-á () in
Taiwanese—is well-adapted to Taiwanese climate and can grow almost anywhere in the country with minimal maintenance. Before the
Taiwan Miracle made rice affordable to everyone, taro was one of the main staples in Taiwan. Nowadays taro is used more often in desserts.
Supermarket varieties range from about the size and shape of a
brussels sprout to longer, larger varieties the size of a
football. Taro chips are often used as a potato-chip-like snack. Compared to
potato chips, taro chips are harder and have a
nuttier flavor. Another popular traditional Taiwanese snack is
taro ball, served on ice or deep-fried. It is common to see taro as a flavor in desserts and drinks, such as
bubble tea. The
Taiwan Technical Mission launched a Taro ice cream making workshop for
Micronesians in Nekken,
Aimeliik.
Southeast Asia Indonesia lompong In
Indonesia, taro is widely used for snacks, cakes, crackers, and even macarons, thus it can be easily found everywhere. Some varieties are specially cultivated in accordance with social or geographical traditions. Taro is usually known as "keladi", although other varieties are also known as "talas", among others. The vegetable soup,
sayur asem and
sayur lodeh may use taro and its leaves also
lompong (taro stem) in Java.
Chinese descendants in
Indonesia often eat taro with stewed rice and dried shrimp. The taro is diced and cooked along with the rice, the shrimp, and sesame oil. In
New Guinea, there are some traditional dishes made of taro as well its leaves such as
keripik keladi (sweet spicy taro chips), '
, pounded taro with vegetables, and ', anchovies mixed with slices of taro leaf.
Mentawai people has a traditional food called
lotlot, taro leaves cooked with
tinimbok (smoked fish).
Philippines In the
Philippines taro is usually called
gabi,
abi, or
avi and is widely available throughout the archipelago. Its adaptability to marshland and swamps make it one of the most common vegetables in the Philippines. The leaves, stems, and corms are all consumed and form part of the local cuisine. A popular recipe for taro is
laing from the
Bicol Region; the dish's main ingredients are taro leaves (at times including stems) cooked in coconut milk, and salted with fermented shrimp or fish
bagoong. It is sometimes heavily spiced with red hot chilies called
siling labuyo. Another dish in which taro is commonly used is the Philippine national stew,
sinigang, although radish can be used if taro is not available. This stew is made with pork and beef, shrimp, or fish, a souring agent (tamarind fruit,
kamias, etc.) with the addition of peeled and diced corms as thickener. The corm is also prepared as a basic ingredient for
ginataan, a coconut milk and taro dessert.
Thailand In
Thai cuisine, taro (
pheuak) is used in a variety of ways depending on the region. Boiled taro is readily available in the market packaged in small cellophane bags, already peeled and diced, and eaten as a snack. Pieces of boiled taro with coconut milk are a traditional Thai dessert. Raw taro is also often sliced and deep fried and sold in bags as chips (เผือกทอด). As in other Asian countries, taro is a popular flavor for ice cream in Thailand.
Vietnam khoai môn In Vietnam, there is a large variety of taro plants. One is called
khoai môn, which is used as a filling in
spring rolls, cakes, puddings and
sweet soup desserts, smoothies and other desserts. Taro is used in the
Tết dessert
chè khoai môn, which is sticky rice pudding with taro roots. The stems are also used in soups such as
canh chua. One is called
khoai sọ, which is smaller in size than
khoai môn. Another common taro plant grows roots in shallow waters and grows stems and leaves above the surface of the water. This taro plant has
saponin-like substances that cause a hot, itchy feeling in the mouth and throat. Northern farmers used to plant them to cook the stems and leaves to feed their hogs. They re-grew quickly from their roots. After cooking, the
saponin in the soup of taro stems and leaves is reduced to a level the hogs can eat. Today this practice is no longer popular in Vietnamese agriculture. These taro plants are commonly called
khoai ngứa, which literally means "itchy potato".
South Asia Taro roots are commonly known as Arbi or Arvi in
Urdu and
Hindi language. It is a common dish in Northern India and Pakistan. Arbi Gosht (meat) Masala Recipe is a tangy mutton curry recipe with taro vegetable. Mutton and Arbi is cooked in whole spices and tomatoes which lends a wonderful taste to the dish.
Bangladesh In
Bangladesh taro is a very popular vegetable known as
kochu (কচু) or
mukhi (মুখি). Within the
Sylheti language, it is called
mukhi. It is usually cooked with small
prawns or the
ilish fish into a
curry, but some dishes are cooked with
dried fish. Its green leaves,
kochu pata (কচু পাতা), and stem,
kochu (কচু), are also eaten as a favorite dish and usually ground to a paste or finely chopped to make
shak — but it must be boiled well beforehand. Taro stolons or stems,
kochur loti (কচুর লতি), are also favored by Bangladeshis and cooked with
shrimp, dried fish or the head of the ilish fish. Taro is available, either fresh or frozen, in the UK and US in most Asian stores and supermarkets specialising in
Sylheti,
Bangladeshi or
South Asian food. Also, another variety called
maan kochu is consumed and is a rich source of vitamins and nutrients.
Maan Kochu is made into a paste and fried to prepare a food known as
Kochu Bata.
India In India, taro or
eddoe is a common dish served in many ways. In
Mizoram, in
north-eastern India, it is called
bäl; the leaves, stalks and corms are eaten as
dawl bai. The leaves and stalks are often traditionally preserved to be eaten in dry season as
dawl rëp bai. In
Assam, a north-eastern state, taro is known as
kosu (কচু). Various parts of the plant are eaten by making different dishes. The leaf buds called
kosu loti (কচু লতি) are cooked with sour dried fruits and called
thekera (থেকেৰা) or sometimes eaten alongside
tamarind,
elephant apple, a small amount of pulses, or fish. Similar dishes are prepared from the long root-like structures called
kosu thuri. A sour fried dish is made from its flower (
kosu kala). Porridges are made from the corms themselves, which may also be boiled, seasoned with salt and eaten as snacks. In
Manipur, another north-eastern state, taro is known as
pan. The
Kukis calls it
bal. Boiled
bal is a snack at lunch along with chutney or hot chili-flakes besides being cooked as a main dish along with smoked or dried meat, beans, and mustard leaves. Sun-dried taro leaves are later used in broth and stews. It is widely available and is eaten in many forms, either baked, boiled, or cooked into a curry with
hilsa or with fermented soybeans called
hawai-zaar. The leaves are also used in a special traditional dish called
utti, cooked with peas. It is called
arbi in Urdu/Hindi and
arvi in Punjabi in
north India. It is called
kəchu (कचु) in Sanskrit. In
Himachal Pradesh, in
northern India, taro corms are known as
ghandyali, and the plant is known as
kachalu in the
Kangra and
Mandi districts. The dish called
patrodu is made using taro leaves rolled with corn or gram flour and boiled in water. Another dish,
pujji is made with mashed leaves and the trunk of the plant and
ghandyali or taro corms are prepared as a separate dish. In
Shimla, a pancake-style dish, called
patra or
patid, is made using gram flour. In
Uttarakhand and neighboring
Nepal, taro is considered a healthy food and is cooked in a variety of ways. The delicate
gaderi (taro variety) of
Kumaon, especially from
Lobanj, Bageshwar district, is much sought after. Most commonly it is boiled in tamarind water until tender, then diced into cubes which are stir-fried in mustard oil with fenugreek leaves. Another technique for preparation is boiling it in salt water till it is reduced to a porridge. The young leaves called
gaaba, are steamed, sun-dried, and stored for later use. Taro leaves and stems are pickled. Crushed leaves and stems are mixed with de-husked
urad daal (black lentils) and then dried as small balls called
badi. These stems may also be sun-dried and stored for later use. On auspicious days, women worship
saptarshi ("seven sages") and only eat rice with taro leaves. In
Maharashtra, in
western India, the leaves, called
alu che paana, are de-veined and rolled with a paste of gram flour. Then seasoned with tamarind paste, red chili powder, turmeric, coriander,
asafoetida and salt, and finally steamed. These can be eaten whole, cut into pieces, or shallow fried and eaten as a snack known as
alu chi wadi.
Alu chya panan chi patal bhaji a lentil and colocasia leaves curry, is also popular. In
Goan as well as
Konkani cuisine taro leaves are very popular. A tall-growing variety of taro is extensively used on the western coast of India to make
patrode,
patrade, or
patrada () a dish with gram flour, tamarind and other spices. In
Gujarat, it is called
patar vel or
saryia na paan. Gram flour, salt, turmeric, and red chili powder are made into paste and stuffed inside a roll of green taro leaves. Then the mixture is steamed, divided into small portions, and fried.
Sindhis call it
kachaloo; they fry it, compress it, and re-fry it to make a dish called
tuk which complements
Sindhi curry. In
Kerala, a state in
southern India, taro corms are known as
chembu kizhangu (ചേമ്പ് കിഴങ്ങ്) and are a
staple food, a side dish, and an ingredient in various side dishes like
sambar. As a staple food, it is steamed and eaten with a spicy
chutney of green chilies, tamarind, and shallots. The leaves and stems of certain varieties of taro are also used as a vegetable in Kerala. In
Dakshin Kannada in
Karnataka, it is used as a breakfast dish, either made like
fritters or steamed. In
Tamil Nadu and
Andhra Pradesh, taro corms are known as
sivapan-kizhangu (
seppankilangu or
cheppankilangu),
chamagadda, or in coastal Andhra districts as
chaama dumpa. They can be prepared in a variety of ways, such as by deep-frying the steamed and sliced corms in oil known as
chamadumpa chips to be eaten on the side with rice, or cooking in a tangy tamarind sauce with spices, onion, and tomato. In the
east Indian state of
West Bengal, taro corms are thinly sliced and fried to make chips called
kochu bhaja(কচু ভাজা). The stem is used to cook
kochur saag (কচুর শাগ) with fried hilsha (ilish) head or boiled
chhola (chickpea), often eaten as a starter with hot rice. The corms are also made into a paste with spices and eaten with rice. The most popular dish is a spicy curry made with prawn and taro corms.
Gathi kochu (গাঠি কচু) (taro variety) are very popular and used to make a thick curry called
gathi kochur dal (গাঠি কচুর ডাল). Here
kochur loti (কচুর লতি) (taro stolon) dry curry is a popular dish which is usually prepared with poppy seeds and mustard paste. Leaves and corms of
shola kochu (শলা কচু) and
maan kochu (মান কচু) are also used to make some popular traditional dishes. In
Mithila,
Bihar, taro corms are known as
ədua (अडुआ) and its leaves are called
ədikunch ke paat (अड़िकंच के पात). A curry of taro leaves is made with mustard paste and sour sun-dried mango pulp (आमिल; ). In
Odisha, taro corms are known as
saru. Dishes made of taro include
saru besara (taro in mustard and garlic paste). It is also an indispensable ingredient in preparing
dalma, an
Odia cuisine staple (vegetables cooked with
dal). Sliced taro corms, deep fried in oil and mixed with red chili powder and salt, are known as
saru chips.
Maldives Ala was widely grown in the southern atolls of
Addu Atoll,
Fuvahmulah,
Huvadhu Atoll, and
Laamu Atoll and is considered a
staple even after rice was introduced.
Ala and
olhu ala are still widely eaten all over the Maldives, cooked or steamed with salt to taste, and eaten with grated coconut along with chili paste and fish soup. It is also prepared as a curry. The corms are sliced and fried to make chips and are also used to prepare varieties of sweets.
Nepal Taro is grown in the
Terai and the
hilly regions of
Nepal. The root (corm) of taro is known as
pindalu (पिँडालु) and petioles with leaves are known as
karkalo (कर्कलो),
Gava (गाभा) and also Kaichu (कैचु) in Maithili. Almost all parts are eaten in different dishes. Boiled corm of Taro is commonly served with salt, spices, and chilies. Taro is a popular dish in the hilly region. Chopped leaves and petioles are mixed with
Urad bean flour to make dried balls called
maseura (मस्यौरा). Large taro leaves are used as an alternative to an umbrella when unexpected rain occurs. Popular attachment to taro since ancient times is reflected in popular culture, such as in songs and textbooks.
Jivan hamro karkala ko pani jastai ho (जीवन हाम्रो कर्कलाको पानी जस्तै हो) means, "Our life is as vulnerable as water stuck in the leaf of taro". Taro is cultivated and eaten by the
Tharu people in the
Inner Terai as well. Roots are mixed with dried fish and turmeric, then dried in cakes called
sidhara which are curried with radish, chili, garlic and other spices to accompany rice. The Tharu prepare the leaves in a fried vegetable side-dish that also shows up in
Maithili cuisine.
Pakistan In Pakistan, taro or
eddoe or
arvi is a very common dish served with or without gravy; a popular dish is
arvi gosht, which includes beef, lamb or mutton. The leaves are rolled along with gram flour batter and then fried or steamed to make a dish called
Pakora, which is finished by tempering with red chilies and carrom (
ajwain) seeds. Taro or
arvi is also cooked with chopped spinach. The dish called
Arvi Palak is the second most renowned dish made of Taro.
Sri Lanka Many varieties are recorded in Sri Lanka, several being edible, most being toxic to humans and, therefore, are not grown. Edible varieties (such as
kiri ala,
kolakana ala,
gahala, and
sevel ala) are grown for their corms and leaves. Sri Lankans eat corms after boiling them or making them into a curry with coconut milk. Some varieties of the leaves of
kolakana ala and
kalu alakola are eaten.
Middle East and Europe Taro was consumed by the early Romans in much the same way the potato is today. They called this root vegetable
colocasia. The Roman cookbook
Apicius mentions several methods for preparing taro, including boiling, preparing with sauces, and cooking with meat or fowl. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the use of taro dwindled in Europe. This was largely due to the decline of trade and commerce with Egypt, previously controlled by Rome. When the Spanish and Portuguese sailed to the new world, they brought taro along with them. Recently there has been renewed interest in exotic foods and consumption is increasing.
Cyprus In
Cyprus, taro has been in use since the time of the
Roman Empire. Today it is known as
kolokas in Turkish or
kolokasi (κολοκάσι) in Greek, which comes from the
Ancient Greek name κολοκάσιον (
kolokasion) for
lotus root. It is usually sauteed with
celery and
onion with pork,
chicken or lamb, in a
tomato sauce – a vegetarian version is also available. The cormlets are called
poulles (sing.
poulla), and they are prepared by first being sauteed, followed by decaramelising the vessel with
dry red wine and
coriander seeds, and finally served with freshly squeezed
lemon.
Greece In Greece, taro grows on
Icaria. Icarians credit taro for saving them from famine during
World War II. They boil it until tender and serve it as a
salad.
Lebanon In Lebanon, taro is known as
kilkass and is grown mainly along the Mediterranean coast. The leaves and stems are not consumed in Lebanon and the variety grown produces round to slightly oblong tubers that vary in size from a tennis ball to a small cantaloupe.
Kilkass is a very popular winter dish in Lebanon and is prepared in two ways:
kilkass with lentils is a stew flavored with crushed garlic and lemon juice and '''il'as
(Lebanese pronunciation of ) bi-
tahini''. Another common method of preparing taro is to boil, peel then slice it into thick slices, before frying and marinating in edible "red"
sumac. In northern Lebanon, it is known as a potato with the name
borshoushi (
el-orse borshushi). It is also prepared as part of a lentil soup with crushed garlic and lemon juice. Also in the north, it is known by the name
bouzmet, mainly around
Menieh, where it is first peeled, and left to dry in the sun for a couple of days. After that, it is stir-fried in lots of vegetable oil in a casserole until golden brown, then a large amount of wedged, melted onions are added, in addition to water, chickpeas and some seasoning. These are all left to simmer for a few hours, and the result is a stew-like dish. It is considered a hard-to-make delicacy, not only because of the tedious preparation but the consistency and flavour that the taro must reach. The smaller variety of taro is more popular in the north due to its tenderness.
Portugal In the
Azores taro is known as
inhame or
inhame-coco and is commonly steamed with potatoes,
vegetables and
meats or
fish. The leaves are sometimes cooked into soups and stews. It is also consumed as a
dessert after first being steamed and peeled, then fried in
vegetable oil or
lard, and finally sprinkled with
sugar,
cinnamon and
nutmeg. Taro grows abundantly in the fertile land of the Azores, as well as in creeks that are fed by mineral springs. Through migration to other countries, the
inhame is found in the Azorean diaspora.
Turkey Taro () is grown in the south coast of
Turkey, especially in
Mersin,
Bozyazı,
Anamur and
Antalya. It is boiled in a
tomato sauce or cooked with meat, beans and
chickpeas. It is often used as a substitute for
potato.
Africa Egypt In Egypt, taro is known as
qolqas (, ). The corms are larger than what would be found in North American supermarkets. After being peeled completely, it is cooked in one of two ways: cut into small cubes and cooked in broth with fresh
coriander and
chard and served as an accompaniment to meat
stew, or sliced and cooked with
minced meat and tomato sauce.
Canarias Taro has remained popular in the
Canary Islands where it is known as
ñame and is often used in thick vegetable stews, like
potaje de berros (cress
potage) or simply boiled and seasoned with
mojo or honey. In
Canarian Spanish the word
Ñame refers to Taro, while in other variants of Castilian is normally used to designate
yams.
East Africa In
Kenya,
Uganda and
Tanzania, taro is commonly known as
arrow root, yam, amayuni (plural) or ejjuni (singular), , or and in some local
Bantu languages. There are several varieties and each variety has its own local name. It is usually boiled and eaten with
tea or other beverages, or as the main
starch of a meal. It is also cultivated in
Madagascar,
Malawi,
Mozambique, and
Zimbabwe.
South Africa It is known as (plural) or (singular) in the Zulu language of Southern Africa.
West Africa Taro is consumed as a
staple crop in
West Africa, particularly in
Ghana,
Nigeria and
Cameroon. It is called
cocoyam in Nigeria, Ghana also
Twi language (brobe) and Anglophone Cameroon,
macabo in
Francophone Cameroon, in Democratic Republic of Congo or Republic of Congo
mbálá ya makoko,
mankani in
Hausa language, and in
Yoruba, and in
Igbo language.
Cocoyam is often boiled, fried, or roasted and eaten with a sauce. In Ghana, it substitutes for
plantain in making
fufu when plantains are out of season. It is also cut into small pieces to make a soupy baby food and appetizer called
mpotompoto. It is also common in Ghana to find
cocoyam chips (deep-fried slices, about thick).
Cocoyam leaves, locally called
kontomire in Ghana, are a popular vegetable for local sauces such as
palaver sauce and
egusi/agushi stew. It is also commonly consumed in Guinea and parts of Senegal, as a leaf sauce or as a vegetable side, and is referred to as
jaabere in the local
Pulaar dialect.
Americas Brazil In
Lusophone countries,
inhame (pronounced , or , literally "
yam") and
cará are the common names for various plants with edible parts of the genera
Alocasia,
Colocasia (family
Araceae) and
Dioscorea (family
Dioscoreaceae), and its respective starchy edible parts, generally
tubers, with the exception of
Dioscorea bulbifera, called
cará-moela (pronounced , literally, "
gizzard yam"), in Brazil and never deemed to be an
inhame. Definitions of what constitutes an
inhame and a
cará vary regionally, but the common understanding in
Brazil is that
carás are potato-like in shape, while
inhames are more oblong. In the
Brazilian Portuguese of the hotter and drier
Northeastern region, both
inhames and
carás are called
batata (literally, "potato"). For differentiation, potatoes are called
batata-inglesa (literally, "English potato"), a name used in other regions and
sociolects to differentiate it from the
batata-doce, "
sweet potato", ironic names since both were first cultivated by the indigenous peoples of
South America, their native continent, and only later
introduced in Europe by the colonizers. Taros are often prepared like potatoes, eaten boiled, stewed or mashed, generally with salt and sometimes
garlic as a condiment, as part of a meal (most often lunch or dinner).
Central America In
Belize,
Costa Rica,
Nicaragua and
Panama, taro is eaten in
soups, as a replacement for potatoes, and as chips. It is known locally as
malanga (also
malanga coco), a word of Bantu origin, and
dasheen in Belize and Costa Rica,
quiquizque in Nicaragua, and as
otoe in Panama.
Haiti In
Haiti, it is usually called
malanga, or
taro. The corm is grated into a paste and deep-fried to make a fritter called
Acra.
Acra is a very popular street food in Haiti.
Jamaica In
Jamaica, taro is known as
coco,
cocoyam and
dasheen. Corms with flesh which is white throughout are referred to as
minty-coco. The leaves are also used to make Pepper Pot Soup which may include
callaloo.
Suriname In
Suriname it is called
tayer,
taya,
pomtayer or
pongtaya. The taro root is called
aroei by the indigenous Surinamese and is commonly known as "Chinese
tayer". The variety known as
eddoe is also called Chinese
tayer. It is a popular cultivar among the
Maroon population in the interior, also because it is not adversely affected by high water levels. The
dasheen variety, commonly planted in swamps, is rare, although appreciated for its taste. The closely related
Xanthosoma species is the base for the popular Surinamese dish
pom. The cooked taro leaf (
taya-wiri, or
tayerblad) is also a well-known green leafy vegetable.
Trinidad and Tobago In
Trinidad and Tobago, it is called
dasheen. The leaves of the taro plant are used to make the Trinidadian variant of the Caribbean dish known as
callaloo (which is made with okra,
dasheen/taro leaves, coconut milk or creme and aromatic herbs) and it is also prepared similarly to steamed spinach. The root of the taro plant is often served boiled, accompanied by stewed fish or meat, curried, often with peas and eaten with roti, or in soups. The leaves are also sautéed with onions, hot pepper and garlic til they are melted to make a dish called "bhaji". This dish is popular with
Indo-Trinidadian people. The leaves are also fried in a split pea batter to make "saheena" (which has a crunchy exterior and soft interior), a fritter of Indian origin.
United States ) for sale at a market in California, 2009 Taro has been grown for centuries in the United States.
William Bartram observed
South Carolina Sea Islands residents eating roasted roots of the plant, which they called
tanya, in 1791, and by the 19th century it was common as a food crop from Charleston to Louisiana. In the 1920s,
dasheen, as it was known, was highly touted by the Secretary of the Florida Department of Agriculture as a valuable crop for growth in
muck fields.
Fellsmere, Florida, near the east coast, was a farming area deemed perfect for growing
dasheen. It was used in place of potatoes and dried to make flour.
Dasheen flour was said to make excellent pancakes when mixed with wheat flour.
Poi is a
Hawaiian cuisine staple food made from taro. Traditional poi is produced by mashing cooked starch on a wooden pounding board (), with a carved
pestle () made from basalt, calcite, coral, or wood. Modern methods use an industrial
food processor to produce large quantities for retail distribution. This initial paste is called . Water is added to the paste during mashing, and again just before eating, to achieve the desired consistency, which can range from highly
viscous to liquid. In Hawaii, this is informally classified as either "one-finger", "two-finger", or "three-finger", alluding to how many fingers are required to scoop it up (the thicker the poi, the fewer fingers required to scoop a sufficient mouthful). Since the late 20th century, taro chips have been available in many supermarkets and natural food stores, and taro is often used in American
Chinatowns, in
Chinese cuisine.
Venezuela In Venezuela, taro is called
ocumo chino or
chino and used in soups and
sancochos. Soups contain large chunks of several kinds of tubers, including
ocumo chino, especially in the eastern part of the country, where West Indian influence is present. It is also used to accompany meats in
parrillas (barbecue) or fried cured fish where
yuca is not available.
Ocumo is an indigenous name;
chino means "Chinese", an adjective for produce that is considered exotic.
Ocumo without the Chinese denomination is a tuber from the same family, but without taro's inside purplish color.
Ocumo is the Venezuelan name for
malanga, so
ocumo chino means "Chinese malanga". Taro is always prepared boiled. No porridge form is known in the local cuisine.
West Indies Taro is called
dasheen, and
Cuba, and the Dominican Republic it is sometimes called
malanga or
yautia. In some countries, such as
Trinidad and Tobago,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and
Dominica, the leaves and stem of the
dasheen, or taro, are most often cooked and pureed into a thick liquid called
callaloo, which is served as a side dish similar to creamed spinach.
Callaloo is sometimes prepared with
crab legs, coconut milk, pumpkin, and okra. It is usually served alongside rice or made into a soup along with various other roots.
Ornamental It is also sold as an ornamental plant, often by the name of
elephant ears. It can be grown indoors or outdoors with high humidity. In the UK, it has gained the
Royal Horticultural Society's
Award of Garden Merit.
Laboratory It is also used for
anthocyanin study experiments, especially with reference to
abaxial and
adaxial anthocyanic concentration. A recent study has revealed honeycomb-like microstructures on the taro leaf that make the leaves
superhydrophobic. The measured
contact angle on the leaf in this study is around 148°. In Melissa K. Nelson's article
Protecting the Sanctity of Native Foods, scientists at the University of Hawaii attempted to patent and genetically alter taro before being dissuaded by activists and farmers, "In 2006, the University of Hawaii withdrew its patents on the three varieties and agreed to stop genetically modifying Hawaii forms of taro. Researchers continue to experiment with modifying a Chinese form of taro, however."
Smoking Taro leaves have been used in some Pacific Island communities for smoking wraps, although this was not necessarily for a tobacco-free experience. Instead, these leaves were likely used to wrap other smokable herbs with potential medicinal or psychoactive properties. However, there is a lack of scientific research on the safety of inhaling combusted taro leaves, and they might release harmful toxins when burned. Coming closer to recent times Taro leaves have been used as a tobacco replacement as a "healthier" alternative, but the science is still to be proven if it is safer. == In culture ==