Taro Root Each

A staple root vegetable across Pacific, South Asian, Southeast Asian and African cooking traditions and one of the most versatile and satisfying ingredients in the shop once you know what to do with it. Dense, starchy and subtly sweet with a nutty earthiness that deepens beautifully through cooking.

Available year-round with reliable quality and no season to wait for.

One important note before cooking. Taro must always be cooked before eating — raw taro contains natural compounds that cause irritation and is not safe to consume uncooked. Once cooked it is completely safe and genuinely delicious. Some people also find the raw skin mildly irritating to handle — peeling under cold running water or wearing gloves makes the process straightforward.

Boil until tender and mash with butter and coconut cream for a rich and deeply satisfying side, simmer in a coconut curry where the flesh absorbs the surrounding flavours beautifully, roast in chunks with oil and salt until golden and crispy on the outside and fluffy within, slice thinly and fry into chips, or use in a traditional Pacific Islander dish where it is the heart of the meal. It rewards every cooking method and every tradition it comes from.

Look for roots that are firm and heavy with rough brown skin and no soft spots or mould. The white to pale purple flesh with distinctive purple flecking inside is completely normal and a sign of good quality.