Oh the simplicity. Oh the green. Oh the nourishment…I love coming up with different dishes that utilize food specific to the islands and that fills me up from deep down. I love eating green especially when it doesn’t include kale and spinach. No offense, I just appreciate having other sources of greenery. Tahitian Taro leaf is pretty easy to find at the farmers market, especially if you buy it from One Song because Sun is sure to bring it weekly. It’s easy to grow too.
The one and only necessity is that you boil your chopped leaves in salted boiling water for about 10 minutes. You’ll get a serious case of itchy throat if you don’t. Not worth the experiment, ask anyone who’s eaten improperly prepared taro or taro leaf (I haven’t….) I boil just until the leaves are well wilted.
I’ll guide you through a simple use of the leaves so you can try or twist it up at your convenience!
1 bunch of tahitian taro leaves, boiled in salted water, put in your blender
Saute in olive oil:
2 white onions
3-4 whole garlic cloves
add to it:
1 T mustard seed
1/2 T cumin seed
salt and pepper to taste
1 chili – optional, I used a black cubin chili
1/3 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut
Once you’re onions are glossy and translucent, and your spices are fragrant, add them to your Tahitian taro leaves and blend, adding water just to thicken, I probably added one cup but keep going until you have the consistency you like. Serve warm with crackers, seared taro, or a nice white fish would be lovely. I kept it simple since I’m still recovering from a cold so this was perfect. Enjoy!
