Taro

Colocasia esculenta 

• Crispy Taro fritters
• Root Vegetable Curry

Taro is a starchy root vegetable which grows in wet or swampy ground. It has large ‘elephant ear’ leaves. The corms must always be peeled and cooked before eating to remove the calcium oxylate they contain. Taro leaves are poisonous if eaten raw, so cook them well before consumption.

Taro can be cooked in many ways – boiled, baked or fried. Compared to potato, taro has double the fiber content and contains less fat. It can be grown from late November to late March in the subtropics.

Health benefits

• Improves gut health
• Assists in reducing cholesterol
• Improves skin
• Improves vision

In a serving size (1 cup or 104 g of taro):

• Energy 485kJ
• Protein 1.6g
• Fat 0.2g
• Carbs 27.5g
• Fiber 4.3g
• Vitamin C 4.7mg
• Vitamin E 2.5μg
• Potassium 614.6mg
• Magnesium 34.3mg

Crispy Taro Fritters

Prep time:  10 Minutes
Cook time:  25 Minutes
Total time:  35 Minutes
Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized taro (peeled and diced)
• 2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp mirin (or sub 1 teaspoon any other sweetener)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Few tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp oil

Method

1. Boil or steam the taro for 10-15 minutes until soft enough to easily pierce with a fork.
2. Drain away the cooking water and add soy sauce, mirin and salt and pepper. Mash with a fork until smooth.
3. Sprinkle the cornstarch onto a plate. Form the mash into small patties and evenly coat each of them with the cornstarch.
4. Heat up the oil in a frying pan and add the cornstarch-coated patties once hot.
5. Fry on a medium heat for around 10 minutes, turning over halfway through, until both sides are crispy and golden brown.

Root Vegetable Curry

From NSCF’s Share Cookbook p25 

Ingredients 

• 2kg root vegetables in season (taro, potato, sweet potato, cassava, Queensland arrowroot, turnip, parsnip, yacon) 
• 500g green vegetables in season (chinese cabbage, ibeka, kang kong, amaranth, mustard greens, spinach, cabbage, warrigal greens) 
• 2 onions 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 3 fresh chillies 
• 2 tsp fish sauce or oyster sauce 
• ½ tsp ground turmeric 
• 2 cups coconut milk 
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• Juice of 1 lime 

 Method 

1. Peel the root vegetables and chop into 2cm cubes. 
2. Slice the onion and garlic finely; de-seed the chillies and chop finely; and coarsely chop the green vegetables. 
3. Bring 2 liters of water to the boil in a large saucepan. 
4. Add the arrowroot and boil for 5 minutes. Add the potato and taro and return water to the boil. 
5. After a further 10 minutes, add sweet potato and cassava and boil for a further 5 minutes. 
6. Drain water. Add onion, garlic, chillies, fish sauce turmeric and coconut milk. 
7. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add salt. 
8. Add the chopped green vegetables and cook for a further 3 minutes. 
9. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice. 
10. Serve with rice. 

• Pumpkin Lentil Soup
• Pumpkin Curry
• Baked pumpkin stuffed with bush fruits and bunya nuts
• Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin  

Cucurbita pepo 

 Pumpkin grows as a vigorous vine. It can be grown from seed during the Mediterranean summer (mid- August to late November) and Tropical summer (late- November to late March) in the subtropics.  All parts are edible, the fruit itself as well as the seeds and flowers. Very young shoots can be used as a spinach. 

 Pumpkins can be stored for moths in a cool, dry, well- ventilated spot (with temperatures around 10- 15 °C). Keep them up off the ground to increase airflow. 

Pumpkin flesh can be preserved by freezing or drying and the seeds can be dried and roasted. Pumpkin seed is a good source of Vitamin E. 

 In the old days, the Irish carved faces on a pumpkin to scare away evil spirits and nowadays pumpkin carving to make Jack o’ Lanterns is popular for Halloween. 

Health Benefits   

• Improves eyesight  
• Supports immunity  
• Improves gut lining health  
• Relieves stress and anxiety  

In a serving size 1/2 cup (75 g)(cooked):  

• Energy  63 kJ  
• Protein  0.5 g  
• Fat 0.1 g  
• Carbs 3.7 g  
• Fiber  0.8 g  
• Vitamin A 215.3 µg  
• Vitamin C 3.5 mg  
• Potassium 171.8 mg  

Quick and easy recipe!

 Pumpkin-Lentil Soup 

Ingredients 

• 400 g cubed pumpkin  
• 1 cup red lentils  
• 1 cup celery, chopped     
• 4 cups vegetable stock   
• 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced  
• 1 Tbsp ginger, finely grated  
• 1 Tbsp olive oil  

 Method 

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan, cook the onions until golden.  
2. Add all the other ingredients, bring to the boil.  
3. Reduce to a low heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  
4. Remove from heat and blend the soup until smooth.  
5. Serve.  

 Pumpkin Curry (Sagu kari) 

(From NSCF’s Share Cookbook p 29)

Ingredients 

• 2kg pumpkin, chopped and peeled 
• 200g mung beans 
• 200g yellow split peas 
• 300g urad dhal 
• 2 Tbsp black mustard seeds 
• 20 – 30 curry leaves 
• 1 ½ tsp cumin powder 
• 1 ½ tsp coriander powder 
• 2 tsp turmeric 
• 10 chillies, deseeded and chopped 
• 3 Tbsp crushed garlic 
• 200g desiccated coconut 
• 1 Tbsp salt (or to taste) 
• ½ bunch fresh coriander, chopped  

Method 

1. Fry the mustard seeds until they begin to pop. Add the mung beans, split peas, urad dhal and the curry leaves. Stir well to prevent burning. 
2. When the peas begin to brown slightly, add the powdered spices, stir for a few seconds, then add the garlic and chillies. Have some water ready to lower the temperature quickly after the garlic has fried for a few seconds as the peas retain a lot of heat and will burn the garlic otherwise.
3. Add the pumpkin, salt and coconut and enough water to make up 6 litres of total volume.
4. Cook over a slow heat for 30 minutes and break up any large pieces of pumpkin remaining. The pea mixture will have settled to the bottom, so stir the curry well.
5. Simmer for a few minutes, add the chopped fresh coriander, bring back to the simmer for a few minutes. Serve immediately.

 Baked pumpkin stuffed with bush fruits and bunya nuts 

(From NSCF’s Share Cookbook p 28)

Ingredients 

• 1 pumpkin (large Jap or Queensland blue) 
• 1 ½ cups bunya nuts, halved and boiled 
• 1 ½ cups riberries 
• 1 cup other bush fruits (other lillipillies, Illawarra plum etc.) 
• 2 tsp dried akudjera (desert tomato) or dried tomato powder 
• 1 tsp lemon myrtle powder or 4 leaves, shredded 
• ½ tsp mountain pepper

Method 

1. Prepare cob oven or camp oven fire, or preheat domestic oven to 180c (160C fan-forced) 
2. Cut a circular plug 10 – 15cm in diameter out of the top of the pumpkin and place to one side. Scoop out the seeds. 
3. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl. Fill scooped out centre of the pumpkin with the mixture. Replace plug in top of the pumpkin. 
4. Place the stuffed pumpkin in a lightly oiled camp oven or on a baking tray. 
5. Cook over coals, or in a moderate oven for 45 to 60 minutes until the pumpkin is tender.  

Pumpkin Pie

 Ingredients 

1. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together. 
2. Cut butter into dry ingredients and crumble with your fingers. Beat eggs and sugar well. Mix all ingredients together until pastry forms. 
3. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured board and place in a tart or flan tin.  
4. Mix all filling ingredients together and place in the uncooked tart base. 
5. Bake in a moderate oven until the tart base is cooked, about 25 minutes. 
6. Serve warm or cold with cream or ice cream.