Calories
40
Taro leaf
Taro leaf, sometimes called “elephant ear” for its shape, is a broad, heart-shaped leaf that grows up to 20 by 40 centimetres in size. The leaves are dark green and smooth on the top and light green on the underside. The veins and stem of the plant can have a light reddish-purple colour. When cooked, taro leaves are tender and have a mild, nutty flavour with a slightly metallic, iron taste similar to spinach.
While taro leaves are native to Southeast Asia and Southern India, they are found today in fresh markets throughout Asia, Polynesia, the Cook Islands, the Caribbean and tropical Africa. The leaf has many names including malanga, keladi, alu, dasheen, taloes, tayer, gabi, avi, colcas, kalo, luau and amateke.
Did you know…
There are 87 varieties of taro around the world.
The taro plant can grow up to 3 metres in height.
Both the leaves and the root of the taro plant are used for medicinal applications.
With 87 varieties around the world, taro is a staple food for over 10% of the Earth’s population.
Its Latin name is Colocasia esculenta
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Taro leaf
nutrition facts
Per 100 grams
Taro leaves are extremely healthy when prepared properly. Taro leaves are reportedly toxic in their raw state, so should be cooked for consumption. They are a great source of fibre and many nutrients, including calcium, copper, iron, niacin, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamins A, B6 and C, and zinc.
Fats
0.4g
Protein
2g
Carbohydrates
2g
Cooking with taro leaf
Taro leaves are typically steamed, fried, sautéed or boiled. Depending on the dish, they can also be spiced, rolled, sliced and deep fried or rolled up tightly and simmered. Similar to spinach, taro leaves contain nitrates and is best not reheated. Taro leaves can be kept in the fridge for up to two days.
Foods that pair well with taro leaf: chicken, pork, beef, dried shrimp, fish, fish sauce, coconut milk, chilies, sweet potato, chickpeas and tomatoes.
Recipes with taro leaves
Laing (taro leaves in coconut milk)
Cooking time: 1 hour
Difficulty level: easy
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
500 g taro leaves (sliced)
500 g taro stems (peeled)
1 pack coconut milk
1 pack coconut cream
250 g pork belly (cut in cubes)
2 pcs dried fish (or 64g of dilis)
4 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 onion (sliced)
1 tbsp ginger (grated)
2 green chilli peppers
3-4 chilis
Instructions:
- In a large casserole dish (should be thick for slow cooking), layer the ingredients: pork belly at the bottom, then garlic, onion and ginger. Top with the taro stem and then the taro leaves.
- Pour the coconut milk and cream, put the dried fish on top and cover the casserole.
- Put the casserole on the stove on low heat and cook for about an hour. When you begin to smell that the coconut milk has dried, and the coconut oil is strong, turn off the fire.
- Remove the dried fish (now soft and cooked) and shred it by hand. Add the fish meat back into the casserole.
- Stir the ingredients carefully from the bottom to the top until they are mixed well. Cover the casserole again until ready to serve. The flavour is even better the next day!
Callaloo (Caribbean green soup)
Cooking time: 1 hour
Difficulty level: easy
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion (coarsely chopped)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
½ red bell pepper (diced)
½ green bell pepper (diced)
10 pieces okra (tops removed and sliced)
250 ml pumpkin or squash (chopped, or 1 can of puree)
½ tsp dried thyme leaves (or 3 sprigs fresh)
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
500 ml coconut milk
200 ml chicken broth (or vegetable stock)
1 habanero pepper (whole)
500 g fresh taro leaves, stems included (coarsely chopped)
6 chives (chopped)
Instructions:
- In a stockpot or large saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about a minute. Then add the onion and cook stirring often until onion is glassy, about 4 minutes.
- Add the peppers and cook about 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the okra, pumpkin or squash, thyme, salt, pepper, coconut milk, chicken broth, and habanero pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to low heat. Simmer about 20 minutes until the squash is tender. Be careful not to burst the habanero pepper when stirring the soup.
- Stir in the taro leaves in batches. Simmer until soft and dark green, about 30 minutes.
- Add the chives and carefully fish out the habanero pepper. Gently blend the soup until smooth but with a little texture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
* You can add meat to this dish, such as crab, stewed chicken or salted pork. Typically, the meat is cooked with the vegetables, fished out before blending, then shredded and added to the blended soup to finish.
