Produce Briefs...
Orange Honeydew Melon
Oval-to-round and a delicious cross between a cantaloupe and a honeydew, the very fleshy juicy orangish-yellow pulp of the orange honeydew melon is encased in a hard very yellow matching rind.
White Corn
White corn is a sweet corn variety. Its ears are wrapped in tightly layered pale lime green to white husks. One ear of corn can contain up to 400 kernels growing in rows lengthwise.
Seasons/Availability
Satoimo are mainly harvested in autumn in Japan, however it is available year round.
Current Facts
Satoimo( Sato-imo) is the name given to Taro root that grows wild and is cultivated in Japan. Its name means village potato. Common Taro has a long rootstock with a shape similar to a sweet potato, whereas Satoimo is smaller and roughly rounded, with tapered ends. The taste and texture of the different varieties is similar.
Description/Taste
Satoimo has roughly textured earthy brown skin with fibrous hairs similar to the texture of a coconut. Its flesh is firm and creamy white. The flesh's main component is starch and it has a sticky to slimy texture. Its flavor is slight with nuances of earth and water, a subtle reminder of where it was grown.
Nutritional Value
Taro Satoimo is rich in Hyaluronic Acid (HA), a substance produced naturally within our bodies in abundance when we are young. It promotes strong joints and produces natural collagen.
Applications
Satoimo is often simmered in soy sauce, sugar and ginger (creating a sweet and salty flavor) and then added to soups and stocks. Satoimo can be deep fried and it is made into noodles with an appearance similar to udon. In Japanese cuisine, Sataimo is traditionally boiled in flavored dashi, or simmered for kenchin jiru, a type of hearty miso soup served with tofu and Shimeji mushrooms.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Satoimo has been cultivated in Japan as early as 10,000 BCE as a staple food before rice was predominantly introduced. Taro has a global culinary presence. It is used in cuisines in over 40 countries throughout Asia, Europe, North America, South America, the Caribbean and Pacific Islands.
Geography/History
Taro is native to southeast Asia and is one of the very first known cultivated vegetables. Taro is cultivated in swampy soils and flooded parcels along with rice and other semi-aquatic crops. It is widely cultivated today in tropical Africa, China and the Far East. Taro has a global culinary presence though. It is used in cuisines in over forty countries throughout Asia, Oceania, Europe, North America, South America, the Caribbean and Pacific islands.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Satoimo Root (Taro). One
is easiest, three is harder.| Just Hungry |
|
Kenchinjiru, Japanese Zen Buddhist Vegetable Soup |
| Sailu's Kitchen |
|
Chamadumpala Pulusu Arbi (Taro Root) Curry |
| 飘飘小厨---温情煮意 |
|
芋头炖牛腩 |
