Taro

Taro / Colocasia - [Taro (Polynesian); Kalo (Hawaiian); Colocasia (Rome); Kolocasi (Cyprus); Ocumo, Cocoyam, Madumbi, Nduma (Africa); Macabo (Cameroon); Khoai mo, khoai so (Vietnam); Laing (Philippine); Dasheen, Eddoes (Caribbean); Malanga cabeza, Malanga islena (Cuba); Arvi, Colocasia (India); Talas (S.E. Asia); Dalo (Fiji); Cara (Brazil); Calaloo (Caribbean, leaves only); Yautia (Puerto Rico); Colocasia esculenta]
Taro Roots

Probably native to the wetlands of Maylasia, taro was carried througout the Pacific as far as Hawaii by seagong canoe and by traders as far as ancient Egypt and Rome. In more modern times it has been carried to all tropical and near tropical areas including Africa and Central America. Cold tolerant varieties are grown in China and Japan.

Taro corms (called taro root) are short underground stems rich in starch. Unlike most starchy vegetables they are high in amylose, a starch soluble in hot water and contain 3% sugar which makes them somewhat sweet. Taro is indigestible raw and can cause severe gastrointestinal distress if not properly prepared and cooked.

The photo specimens include regular taro corms available everywhere and a giant taro corm often available from markets serving a Southeast Asian community. The regular run around 3-3/4 inch long, 2-1/4 inch diameter and about 5 ounces while the giant in the photo is 8 inches long, 4 inches in diameter and weighed a little over 2-1/2 pounds, but they get quite a bit larger.

Taro Leaves Taro is widely available in the U.S. due to its common use by Hispanic, Southeas Asian, Caribbean, Hawaiian, African and other communities of tropical and subtropical origin.

The best known use of taro in the U.S. is for making the Hawaiian staple "poi". Taro corms are peeled, boiled, then mashed and adjusted with water to make the desired thickness, "one finger, two finger or three finger (the thinnest)". It may be eaten fresh or fermented for a few days.

Young taro leaves are commonly used in the cooking of West and Central Africa. African cookbooks targeted to a U.S. audience call for spinach since colocasia leaves aren't available here - the amount of oxalate in them would make the FDA very nervous. Actual spinach is not much available in Africa.

In India taro corms and stems are called for as colocasia root in some curries. Colocasia stems are also used and in some areas the leaves also, and rarely the flowers.

In ancient Rome, colocasia root was boiled and served with sauces or boiled along with meats, much as potatoes are today. Because it was imported from Egypt colocasia disappeared from Europe upon the fall of the Roman Empire, except for Cyprus where it is still grown and cooked as kolokassi.

If you wish you can easily grow your own leaves and stems by planting the widely available corms. You must keep the soil they grow in very wet to keep the stems from wilting.

Taro must be cooked to eliminate calcium oxalate crystals which can cause pain to the mouth and throat, severe gastrointestinal distress and even liver damage. Taro corms are alway peeled. Cooking time is short, 10 to 15 minutes for 3/4 inch cubes but it will stay firm and hold its shape well if cooked longer.

Subst: boiling potatoes make an acceptable (and in my opinion better flavored) substitute for taro in many recipes, but they will take a somewhat longer cooking time and will be less sweet. You wouldn't want to try to make something like poi out of potatoes though.