Edible Plants

Scientific Name Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schoot

Alias Green Taro, Taro, etc.

Family Genus Tennantiaceae, Taro

Synonyms Squatting Scops Owl ("Historical Records"), Taro Kui ("Han Shu"), Taro Roots (Han Shu, Yen Shigu Notes), Tu Zhi ("Bie Lu

Characteristics and properties Perennial tuberous plants, often cultivated as annual crops. Leaf blade peltate, petiole long and fat, green or purplish-red; plant base to form short shrunken stems, and gradually accumulate nutrients into a fleshy bulb, called "taro" or "mother taro", spherical, ovate, ellipsoid or lumpy and so on. The mother taro has a brain bud in each section, but the axillary buds in the lower and middle nodes of the strongest activity, the first tiller occurs, the formation of a small bulb called "taro", and then from the child taro occurs "grandson taro", in the appropriate conditions, can be formed, such as great-grandson or great-grandson taro.

Sex like high temperature and humidity, not drought, shade, and has the characteristics of aquatic plants, paddy fields or dry land can be cultivated. Root absorption is weak, the entire growth period requires adequate water; wide adaptability of the soil to fertile, deep, strong water retention of clay soil is appropriate; seed taro in 13 ~ 15 ℃ began to germinate, growth temperature of 20 ℃ or more, the bulb in the formation of short sunlight conditions, the development of the optimal temperature of 27 ~ 30 ℃. In case of low temperature and drought, the growth is poor, seriously affecting the yield.

Distribution Originally from India, introduced by Southeast Asia, South China and Japan during the Japanese occupation. China to the Pearl River Basin and Taiwan Province of the most planted, followed by the Yangtze River Basin, other provinces and cities are also planted.

Varieties in the Fu betel nut taro plants built taro's main varieties of folk: red taro (also known as red bud taro), white taro (also known as white bud taro), nine taro (dog paw taro), betel nut taro (Guangxi called the Lipu taro) and so on. Red taro because of the buds issued with red and named, cut to its cross-section color and taste and white taro is not significantly different.

Red taro: plant height 90-100 cm, broadly ovate leaf blade, petiole lavender. The mother taro is larger, nearly round, each plant 7-10 sub taro, sub taro fat, thick skin, brown, white flesh, buds bright red, single plant yield 0.85-1 kilograms. Containing more starch, excellent quality. Fresh taro to eat, can also be dried. Medium maturity. Growing period 210-240 days, planting period February-March, September-October harvest, mu yield 1500-1700 kilograms.

White taro: germination is white, petiole is green, other forms are basically the same as red taro.

White taro and red taro taro because it is not easy to cook and rarely eaten directly, usually pounded into taro馃 and other cooked products. And people eat directly is the first tiller, the formation of small bulbs of the "sub taro", which is common in the supermarket about the size of the egg taro.

Nine-headed taro: plant height 80-90 centimeters. Leaf blade broad ovate, petiole green. Mother taro and daughter taro clusters, daughter taro slightly more, bulb obovate, brown, flesh white. Single plant yield 1.5 kilograms, meat slippery, light flavor. Vegetable food and dried for medicinal purposes. Late maturity, growing period of 270-300 days. Planting period February-March, November-December harvest, mu yield 2500-3000 kilograms. The taste of nine taro is slightly better than white taro, red taro.

Betel nut taro: plant height 80-150 cm. Leaf blade broad ovate, petiole from the bottom to the top from green gradually transition to coffee red, until the leaf core. Bulb long oval, dark brown, flesh white, with coffee-colored markings. The mother taro is large, the daughter taro long ovate, diameter 3-5 cm, length up to 20 cm, Fuzhou area commonly known as taro handle. Betel nut taro 6-10 daughter taro per plant. Single plant yield 2.5-3 kilograms. High starch content, strong flavor, so called taro. Humidity resistance is worse than other varieties, good storage resistance. Late maturity, growing period 240-280 days. Planting period in February-March, November to the following January harvest, mu yield of about 3000 kilograms.

Betel nut taro is the best of taro, and its taro can be eaten directly.

The identification of betel nut taro in the planting area can be viewed in the center of the leaf blade and the color of the petiole connection point, if the coffee red, then it is betel nut taro.

The main use of nutritious, containing a lot of starch, minerals and vitamins, is both a vegetable and food, can be cooked, dried or powdered. As taro starch particles are small, only one-tenth of the potato starch, its digestibility up to 98.8%, in taro processing can be made into taro powder and taro mud filling to extend the preservation.

Taro can also be used as an ornamental plant similar to the cranberry and the green. There are about 100 different species of taro; some are oval shaped like sweet potatoes, while others are mostly round. Taro has fewer strange shapes than other tuberous plants. Taro can grow up to 6 feet tall and has broad leaves; however, the shoots are edible after being scalded in boiling water. However, the leaves and shoots are less used in Western markets. The tubers are dark brown and have a ringed, rough, hairy outer skin. The flesh is white, creamy white and purplish gray, with some pink or brown texture.

Serving suggestion 1. Taro contains indigestible starch and calcium oxalate crystals, however, calcium oxalate has a bitter taste and can cause skin allergies, but after cooking will disappear. The flesh turns gray or lavender when cooked. Taro is cooked in a similar way to potatoes. Taro makes a thicker soup when simmered, and it absorbs other ingredients easily. Potatoes and taro are delicious fried or sliced in oil and drizzled with sauce, or sliced and cooked with syrup for a dessert. The leaves of taro can also be cooked to resemble spinach and can be wrapped around other foods and baked. However, the calcium oxalate in the leaves is destroyed by cooking.

2. Taro peeling method: the skin of the taro into a small bag (only half a bag) with a hand grab the mouth of the bag, the bag on the concrete floor a few times, and then pour out the taro, you can find taro skin all off. Taro contains more starch, eat too much at a time will lead to bloating;

3. Raw taro has a small poison, food must be cooked; raw taro juice easy to cause local skin allergies, can be used to ginger rub to solve it.

Purchasing method to choose the more solid taro, and no spots. You can check for freshness by cutting the flesh, but the best way to judge the quality of the flesh is to cut the taro in half.

Betel nut taro market identification: you can cut the taro, its section has a large number of coffee-colored speckled lines, commonly known as "betel nut lines", then it is betel nut taro, which is other taro varieties do not have. The closer the taro is to the root, the better the quality. When taro is planted in the ground, the lower part of the bulb is buried in the soil, while the upper part is exposed to the air, and its epidermis is slightly different. Therefore, when purchasing, choose the part buried in the soil according to the skin, the more the better.

Treatment After peeling taro, if it is not going to be used immediately, it must be soaked in water. The best way to peel taro is under running water or with gloves, as the mucus from taro can cause skin irritation.

Cooking methods Taro can be boiled (about 20 minutes), steamed or microwaved, or baked (about 25 minutes), but the pulp will become dry and the flavor is stronger. But the flesh becomes dry and the flavor is stronger. If you spread it with cream or sauce, etc., the taro is not so dry.

Steam the betel taro; mash it; mix it with enough cooking oil, sugar and fried sesame bean powder. Steamed for 10 minutes, it is a sweet and savory Min dishes "taro mud". No matter what kind of taste people, no one does not like taro mud this dish.

Storage MethodsPlace taro in a dry, cool place with ventilation. Consume it as soon as possible after purchase. Because taro is easy to become soft. Taro does not tolerate low temperatures, so fresh taro must not be placed in the refrigerator, in temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius, should be stored in a warmer place indoors, to prevent rotting due to frostbite.

Taro medicinal Chinese medicine that taro has an appetizer, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, tonic and beneficial effects of the kidneys, etc., can be treated for stomach pain, dysentery, chronic nephritis and so on. According to nutritional analysis, taro contains carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamin B complex, potassium, calcium, zinc, etc., of which dietary fiber and potassium content is the most.

Nutritional analysis

1. Taro is rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, magnesium, sodium, carotene, niacin, vitamin C, B vitamins, saponins and other ingredients, the minerals contained in the fluorine content is high, with teeth cleaning and caries prevention, protection of the teeth;

2. Its rich nutritional value, can enhance the body's immune function, can be as a common medicinal staple food for the prevention and treatment of cancerous tumors. In cancer surgery or postoperative radiotherapy, chemotherapy and its recovery process, there is an auxiliary therapeutic role;

3. taro contains a mucus protein, absorbed by the body can produce immunoglobulin, or antibody globulin, can improve the body's resistance. Therefore, Chinese medicine believes that taro can detoxification, on the human body of carbuncles and swollen toxins, including cancerous toxins have inhibitory effect, can be used to prevent and control tumors and lymphatic tuberculosis and other diseases;

4. taro for alkaline food, can neutralize the body of the accumulated acidic substances, adjusting the acid-base balance of the human body, resulting in cosmetic beauty, black hair, but also can be used to prevent and control gastric hyperacidity;

5. Taro is rich in Mucus saponin and a variety of trace elements, can help the body to correct the physiological abnormalities caused by the lack of trace elements, at the same time can enhance appetite, help digestion, so Chinese medicine believes that taro can be complementary to the gas.

Suitable for the crowd

The general population can eat

1. especially suitable for weak people to eat;

2. for phlegm, allergic body (urticaria, eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis), pediatric stagnant food, poor gastrointestinal performance, as well as diabetes should be eaten sparingly; at the same time, stagnant stomach, gastroenterology, hot and humid people to avoid eating.

[edit]Food Compatibility

Taro is not to be eaten with bananas.

Cooking guide

1. taro can be used as a staple food steamed and dipped in sugar, but also can be used to make dishes, snacks, so it is a favorite root food;

2. taro cooking must be cooked, otherwise the mucus will irritate the throat;

3. the mucus of the taro contains a complex compound that can be decomposed when it is heated and this substance has a therapeutic effect on the body. Substances have a therapeutic effect on the body, but the mucous membranes of the skin have a strong stimulus, so when peeling and washing taro, the skin of the hand will itch, baked on the fire can be relieved, so peeling and washing taro is best to wear gloves.

Therapeutic effects

Taro is sweet and pungent, flat, slightly toxic, to the intestines, stomach meridian;

with the benefit of the stomach, intestines, laxative, detoxification, tonifying the middle benefits of the liver and kidneys, swellings and pain, benefit the stomach, spleen, knot dispersal, regulating the middle qi, phlegm, add lean marrow and other efficacy;

The main treatment for lumps, phlegm nuclei, scrofula, constipation and other diseases.