Giant taro

Alocasia macrorrhizos

root

An enormous Pacific tuber, cooked for hours in the earth oven or boiled, hardier and more acrid than taro.

Origin

Southeast Asia and the Pacific

Season (United States)

all year round

Preparation

Never raw or undercooked: its oxalate crystals burn the mouth and throat. Peeled with gloves, cooked for a long time, water discarded. Its oxalates leach into water: boiling it and throwing the water out takes a good share with it.

Molecules

In small amounts, not counted Insoluble fibersWhat slows things down Oxalates

Did you know?

Its leaves are so large that they serve as umbrellas.