What Does Taro Taste Like?

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If you don’t know what Taro is, you are at the right place.

This article will thoroughly discuss different aspects of Taro, such as what it tastes like? Is it healthy? What foods to serve it with? Etc.

We will also go through a few queries related to Taro in the last section of the article.

What Is Taro?

Taro, also known as Colocasia Esculenta, is a tropical plant grown for its edible corms.

Taro is a delicious root vegetable and is the most widely cultivated plant species in the Araceae family.

The plants of the Araceae family are grown for their petioles, leaves and corms.

What Does Taro Taste Like?

Taro has a light sweet flavor and is starchy, which is one; the plant is often compared to yams or potatoes.

However, Taro has a distinct flavor; some say it has a nutty taste, while others say it has a hint of vanilla notes.

Overall, when cooked, Taro is similar to a cooked yam or sweet potato.

Taro is also referred to as Dasheen; you can eat it cooked or raw.

How Is Taro Made?

Taro is full of calcium oxalate crystals that lie just beneath the outer skin.

The crystals are irritating, sticky and bitter for the skin and throat unless properly cooked.

Clean your hands or wear gloves before preparing Taro for cooking.

The crystals will disappear if you blanch the veggie for 5 minutes in boiling water.

However, before you boil Taro, you must eliminate the thick and hair peel of the delicious vegetable with a sharp object under running tap water.

To prevent the Taro from discoloration, place Taro chunks in acidic water.

However, be wary that once the vegetable is cooked, it can develop a cream to bright white to dapple grayish-purple color.

How Do You Cook Taro?

Here are the best ways of cooking Taro:

Boiling

You can cut Taro into chunks like potatoes and place the vegetable in boiling water.

Let the chunks boil until they are tender (Roughly 20 minutes).

Roast

After boiling the Taro, you can also roast it.

Roast the veggie in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes.

Roasted Taro has a sweet flavor and dry, light and chewy texture.

Fry Or Stir-Fry

You can fry sliced Taro and serve it with a sauce.

Taro can also be sliced into chips, deep-fried or pan-fried and serve it with your favorite sauce.

You can also grate Taro and make pancakes or crepes with it.

Lastly, Taro can be steamed or cubed and served alongside rice.

Stew or Braise

Chunks of Taro can be added to stews or soups, which will absorb and thicken the food’s flavor.

Taro will soak up all the flavors in the dish.

Baked varieties of Taro will have a meaty texture but is dry so that you can serve it with meat juices or butter.

You can use Taro leaves as a filling and put them in a wrap for other dishes.

When you cook the Taro leaves, the Calcium oxalate crystals are destroyed.

Boil the leaves in hot water until the vegetable is tender.

What Do You Eat Taro With?

Here is how you can eat Taro:

Taro Fries

Taro fries are delicious, and all you have to do is, cut the Taro into fries, fry or bake them and serve them with your favorite sauce.

Taro Bubble Milk Tea

The nutty flavor of Taro and a hint of sweetness makes it a perfect ingredient for Bubble tea.

The Bubble tea is made with Taro root powder and then blended in milk.

You can even top the tea with tapioca pearls.

Taro Curry

In parts of South India, Taro curry is a popular dish.

The root of Taro is curried, which gives it a spicy flavor.

Mashed Taro

This is a traditional Hawaiian dish, and it is easy to make.

You must peel the Taro, steam the root, and then mash it.

Add water to the mixture until it is sticky and smooth.

Taro is a great substitute for yams and sweet potato and lends a purple hue to the plate.

Taro Frozen Yoghurt Or Ice Cream

Although a Taro ice cream or frozen yogurt may sound weird, it tastes very good.

The nutty, milky and sweet combination is delicious and is a suitable substitute for vanilla ice cream or yogurt.

The popularity of Taro ice cream is rising and is popping in Ice cream parlors in many parts of the world.

Taro Baked Goods

The Taro powder used to make Taro bubble tea can also be used to make baked goods.

While Taro powder is used to add color and flavor to baked goods, since it is gluten-free, it is a perfect substitute for flour.

Taro Pancakes

You can also use Taro to make pancake batter.

Go to your local grocery stores, and you will easily find Taro pancake mix or Taro flour; you can use that to make pancakes for breakfast.

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Is Taro Good For You?

Here are some health benefits that Taro offers:

Rich In Nutrients And Fiber

132 grams (1 Cup) of Taro has about 187 calories, most of them are carbohydrates, and the veggie also contains the following:

Manganese: 30 % of DV (Daily Value)
Fiber: 6.7 grams
Vitamin E: 19 % of DV (Daily Value)
Vitamin B6: 22 % of DV (Daily Value)
Copper: 13 % of DV (Daily Value)
Potassium: 18 % of DV (Daily Value)
Phosphorus: 10 % of DV (Daily Value)
Vitamin C: 11 % of DV (Daily Value)
Magnesium: 10 % of DV (Daily Value)

The Taro root has a good quantity of essential nutrients, and the vegetable will be a good addition to your diet.

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Can Control Blood Sugar

While Taro is a starchy veggie, it contains two types of carbs that can control blood sugar: resistant starch and fiber.

Fiber is a carb that humans cannot digest, and since we cannot absorb it, it has no impact or effect on the blood sugar level.

Fiber helps slow down the absorption of carbohydrates and digestion, preventing large sugar spikes after a meal.

Studies indicate that diets high in fiber, containing about 42 grams of it, can decrease the blood sugar level by 10 MG/DL in individuals with type-II diabetes.

Taro also contains a species of starch, called resistant starch, that humans cannot digest, so it doesn’t increase blood sugar.

More than 12 % of cooked Taro’s starch is resistant, making it a rich nutrient source.

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Can Reduce Heart Disease Risks

Taro’s resistant starch and fiber can also reduce the risk of developing heart diseases.

Research has found that people who consume fiber have a lower risk of heart disease.

A study indicates that consuming 10 additional grams of fiber daily can decrease the risk of dying from heart disease by about 17 %.

Conclusion

This article will help you understand everything about Taro, such as what does it taste like? Is it a healthy vegetable? How can you cook it? Etc.

Hopefully, this article will inspire you to make Taro a regular part of your diet.

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Recommended Reading:

What Does Taro Taste Like?

What Is Taro?

What Does Taro Taste Like?

How Is Taro Made?