Kerala photos: A man sized taro plant

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I took these photos (copyright reserved) of ‘chembu’ (Colocasia) at the residence of Mr. AL Thomas at Cochin. I wonder how big its roots would be when harvested.

The leaves and roots of this tropical tuber are widely used for culinary purposes in many parts of the world. According to UN statistics, Nigeria, Ghana, China, Cote d’ lvoire and Papua New Guinea are the major producers with a combined output of 9.2 million metric tons in 2005.

Taro leaves are a good source of vitamins and minerals. They contain Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Niacin, manganese, potassium and copper. The corms contain high portion of starch and dietary fiber.

The range of recipes using taro is vast – from snacks to curries to burgers. Some of the sites which provide details are given below:

http://www.hawaii.edu/hga/Lessons/maui98/TARO/trecip.htm

http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=25908

http://www.newkerala.com/recipes/Indian-Recipes/Kerala-Special-Recipes/Taro-Curry-Recipe.html

http://showmethecurry.com/2008/09/01/crispy-seasoned-arbi-taro-root-indian-snack-recipe/

http://www.revver.com/video/1135911/crispy-seasoned-arbi-taro-root-indian-recipe-video/

Taro root.
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Also see:

Photos: Vegetables for Onam

Kerala photos: Butterflies of Olavipe