FILIPINO LAING (Taro Leaves Stewed in Coconut Milk)
4 cups sun-dried or fresh taro leaves, shredded
2 small pieces taro, peeled and finely chopped
500 grams pork, sliced into small cubes
3 tablespoons dried salted fish (available at markets)
1-2 tablespoon Asian shrimp paste (available at Chinese shops)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
1 thumb-sized ginger, minced
3-5 red chilies, finely chopped
½ teaspoon white ground pepper
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4-5 cups fresh coconut milk
1-2 tablespoons cooking oil
1. Heat the cooking oil in a large saucepan. Add the pork and cook until the color turns light brown.
2. Add the garlic, onion and ginger. Sauté for a few minutes until very fragrant.
3. Add the chilli and shredded dried salted fish. Stir and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Pour in the fresh coconut milk and add the shrimp paste. Bring to a boil and then set to simmer.
5. Add in taro leaves and chopped taro. Simmer for 40 minutes to 1 hour over medium heat while occasionally pressing the taro leaves and stirring the coconut milk to prevent it from curdling. The taro leaves should tenderize and shrink, and the coconut milk should begin to reduce. When the liquid is already creamy and almost rendering fat, it is done. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Remove from heat and serve over hot steamed rice.
SAMOAN TARO LEAF
AND CHICKEN SOUP
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons ginger
1 tablespoon sea salt
8 cups chicken stock or coconut bu water
12 taro leaves, deveined and washed
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon black pepper
In a soup pot, fry the onion, garlic and ginger in the coconut oil until golden brown.
Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Chop the taro leaves into bite size pieces and add to the boiling stock.
Simmer for 25 minutes. Add the chicken, salt and pepper, simmer for 30 minutes and serve.
TAHITIAN POULET FAFA
Poulet fafa is a traditional part of a Tahitian pit barbeque or lovo. In this recipe, the leaves must be cooked in saltwater first to remove the irritating calcium oxalate from the leaves.
2 big bundles taro leaves (fafa), chopped
2 or 3 tablespoons cooking oil
1kg boneless chicken pieces
2 large onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 piece ginger, minced
2 cups coconut bu water
Salt and pepper — to taste
2-3 teaspoons cornstarch
1-2 cups fresh coconut milk, thick
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the taro leaves, reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large pot. Brown the chicken on all sides in the hot oil and remove to a plate.
3. Fry the onion, garlic and ginger in the remaining oil until the onion is translucent. Add back the chicken pieces and the stock or water, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.
4. Add the taro leaves or spinach and simmer for another 15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
5. Stir the cornstarch into 2 or 3 tablespoons of cold water and then stir the slurry into the simmering sauce to thicken it lightly. Stir in coconut cream to finish and serve over rice.
INDIAN chamaku Potlalu — TARO LEAF Packets
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup dhal or lentils
5 green chillies, chopped
Sea salt, to taste
3 pieces garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small piece ginger, finely chopped
2 tablespoon fresh grated coconut
1 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1. Wash dhal and soak in water for at least 2 hrs to soften. An alternative is to use besan flour instead of this, but soaked dhal will give more taste.
2. Remove the stems of taro leaves, wash and wipe with a cloth.
3. Grind together green chillies, onion, coconut, ginger, garlic, turmeric, salt, soaked dhal to a fine paste.
4. Take a whole leaf and put some grinded paste in the centre of the leaf and press it with hand firmly. Fold the leave like a packet and tie string or raffia of the taro leaf stem.
5. In a frypan, heat the oil and keep flame on medium. Now add folded packets carefully in oil.
6. Fry one side it turns dark then turn the side and let it fry. Once the outer layers turn black, then its done. Alternatively steam them like idlli.
7. Take them out in a bowl and serve with hot rice.
