One of the most iconic views of Kauai is the Hanalei Valley scenic overlook. A patchwork of taro fields fed by the Hanalei River stretch across the basin. Encircled by mountains draped in waterfalls, five endangered birds flourish in the
One of the most iconic views of Kauai is the Hanalei Valley scenic overlook. A patchwork of taro fields fed by the Hanalei River stretch across the basin. Encircled by mountains draped in waterfalls, five endangered birds flourish in the valley, which is a National Wildlife Refuge. W.T. Haraguchi Farm is a six-generation taro farm that began by growing rice in 1924. Today, taro is grown on 30 acres and the farm provides produce for the family-run Hanalei Taro & Juice Co. food truck as well as a line of value added products.
Taro
Kalo is the Hawaiian name for taro, which is considered Hawaii’s staff of life. The staple food is considered a canoe crop because early Polynesians brought the plant when they settled in Hawaii. At one time, there were more than 300 varieties that grew in fresh water ponds, brackish water near the shore and on “dry” land. These three growing mediums exist today, although the most popular form of cultivation is ‘wetland” taro, which is grown in fresh water ponds known as lo’i and are irrigated by mountain streams diverted into auwai, or canals.
As one of the oldest crops in the world, taro has long been a staple food on all the Polynesian islands as well as in the West Indies and the Orient. Taro was mentioned in Chinese books as early as 100 B.C. It was evidently thriving in Egypt at the beginning of the Christian era, as Pliny (23-79 A.D.) refers to it as one of the established food plants of the country.
The wetland, or lo’i system, takes advantage of taro’s flood tolerance, and was developed by early Hawaiians to eliminate weed competition and to lower the growing temperature of the corms.
Season
When taro is harvested, the entire plant is pulled. The corm, a slightly sweet starchy tuber used for poi, can be treated like a potato. Huli is part of the stem about 12-18 inches long attached to a 2-3 inch section of the corm. Huli are “seeds” that get replanted. It takes one year to go from huli to harvestable corm. The mother, or makua, will produce offspring with the same characteristics. It takes nine months to go from huli to table.
What to look for
Corms should be dry and firm with no crumble holes. Select baby greens that are colorful, firm and crisp. Leaves that look faded and wilted are past their prime.
Storage
Wrap greens and or corms in a dishtowel or layer them in paper towels in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator.
Tip
Taro is never eaten raw because the entire plant contains calcium oxalate crystals, which cause irritation and swelling of the upper GI tract, particularly the mouth and throat. Boiling reduces oxalate content of taro corms and leaves.
Preparation
Gently boil whole, unpeeled taro corms for an hour or until a knife easily pierces through it. Cool, peel and mash like you would potatoes, or cut into cubes. Boiled and stored in the refrigerator, taro can last up to two weeks. Oxalates are water-soluble and leach into water during cooking. Therefore, boiling is the most effective method, but make sure to discard cooking water.
You can make patties or add the cubes into soups, curries or stir-fries. I like to cut it into 1/4” thick disks, sprinkle salt and pepper over the disks and fry it until it’s golden brown. The crispy outside and creamy inside goes well with tomato sauce and mozzarella, kind of like chicken Parmesan. To make a gratin, layer thin slices of boiled taro into a greased baking dish, sprinkle with fresh rosemary and grated cheese, and bake in the oven until golden and crisp.
Hanalei Taro & Juice Co. makes and sells taro veggie burgers, taro hummus, kulolo, taro mochi cake and taro smoothies. They also sell raw taro corms. Plate lunch includes laulau, kalua pork (made with Kaneshiro Farms pork), lomi salmon, taro mac salad, rice or poi. Rotating specials have included Asian chicken, Okinawa belly pork and taro, kalua pork tacos and acai bowl with taro granola.
Health benefits
Lactobacillus, a natural bacteria complex found in yogurt, is what makes taro easy to digest. This bacterium — which survives the cooking process — also causes poi to ferment. Taro supports a healthy immune system and assists intestinal functioning by maintaining intestinal flora and reducing symptoms associated with bowel and stomach discomfort.
Hanalei Taro & Juice Co.’s taro and products can be found at:
The food truck is in downtown Hanalei. Farmers Market: Kauai Community Market (Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.), Kapaa (Wednesdays 3 to 4 p.m.) Restaurants: Merriman’s Fish House, Fish Express. Grocery: Ishihara Store, Westin Princeville, Pono Market, Ara’s Sakanaya, Times Lihue, Salt Pond Country Store and Menehune Marts in Kapahi, Lawai, Waimea, Koloa, Eleele and Kilauea. For more information, call 826-1059.
• Marta Lane, a food writer on Kauai since 2010, offers farm to fork food tours and is the author of Tasting Kauai: Restaurants – From Food Trucks to Fine Dining, A Guide to Eating Well on the Garden Island. For more information, visit TastingKauai.com.
