Taro – A comfort food and a beautiful plant

Taro or locally called “Kacchu” in Jharkhand is one of my favourite vegetables. In fact, now that I think about it, I like all kinds of corm, tuber or rhizome vegetables. This particular vegetable is a winter comfort food for me alongside sweet winter carrots, potatoes, radishes etc. When I was young I loved slurping the jharkhandi delicacy of daal cooked with kacchu and meat chunks and a plate of steaming hot rice and I still do. Another famous delicacy is the deep fried leaves of kacchu as pakori. Likewise, there are many such delicacies around India prepared with taro roots and leaves with a touch of local spices and methods.

One interesting thing about both taro roots and leaves is how itchy it may get while handling them (due to the high amount of oxalate) and it may get a bit itchy while eating too (cooking them reduces oxalate content) and yet it doesn’t prevent people from enjoying them. And, not only being a favourite across various cultures, this edible plant is beneficial for health as well because of its interesting nutritional values.

From a plant lover’s perspective, I love taro’s green velvet heart-shaped leaves. If not for anything, the plant can be grown for the visual appeal of its beautiful leaves. And, the way the water droplets hang on to the leaves and slide down smoothly when tipped adds a charm to it after it rains.

Have you ever tried taro roots or leaves and how is it prepared in your culture?