Taro leaves

Colocasia esculenta

leaf

Large taro leaves, up to 85 cm long, always cooked at length, steamed or stewed: Hawaiian laulau, Caribbean callaloo. 100 g provide 52 mg of vitamin C and 107 mg of calcium, with beta-carotene.

Origin

Southeast Asia and Pacific

Season (United States)

all year round

Preparation

Never raw: like the root, they contain calcium oxalate crystals that sting the mouth and throat; long cooking destroys them. Its oxalates leach into water: boiling it and throwing the water out takes a good share with it.

Molecules

Beta-carotene (vitamin A) · Lutein and zeaxanthinWhat slows things down Oxalates

Did you know?

Their surface makes water bead up and roll off without wetting it: the lotus effect.