My Favourite Viand

 

Only once a year! I couldn't believe that having to cook one of my favourite viands happen only once a year. Simply because where can you find taro leaves in Canada? Nobody plant this kind of plant because this plant grows mostly on tropical countries on hot climate zone.

I know, countries such as Philippines, and  other Asian countries are known for its taro plantation. However, from the books I read...Hawaii and California are growing this one of a kind plant with heart shaped leaves. You can find this taro leaves in specialty stores in Calgary or in downtown Vancouver where Asian people live and crave for Asian foods.

Taro plants are grown on arable lands with moist or watery soil condition. Taro plants can be substituted for after rice are harvested as in crop rotation in the same spot in the rice field. 

What's so good about taro plants? Taro is a root crop and nutritious. It is also a staple food because it is a carbohydrate. You can cook and eat the roots, stems, and leaves. Nothing is wasted on this species of plant.

There are too many recipes for cooking taro roots. You can boil the roots and eat them as it is with sugar or salt. You can also use and cook taro roots for desserts by combining or mixing it with coconut milk or cream and sugar. Taro roots usage in the making of pastry and cakes are also the best you can bake when your creativity calls for it. Can you make candies from taro roots? I'm not sure but it can be done.

While the leaves and stems are good enough for traditional viands: pinangat and laing. 

Laing - is a viand. The leaves and stems are cut into pieces or desired size, placed in a woven bamboo tray (bilao) under the heat of the sun to dry for a day or two days. Then once the leaves and stems are dry then you can mix all the ingredients: chopped garlic, onions, shredded ginger, ground pepper, salt, chili peppers, 2 cans of coconut milk + dry leaves and stems in a big stainless wok. Boil the mixed ingredients until viand is cook properly on high heat. Do not let it get dehydrated of coconut cream. Add another can of coconut cream if there's a need because sometimes the sauce evaporates or get absorbed by the laing.

Serve hot with steamed jazmine rice.

Now, the most treasured pinangat.

PINANGAT, my favourite viand ever! Look like a special gift inside the steel  wok.

Ingredients: Taro leaves of course for wrappers.

 

Ingredients inside the taro leaves wrapper: garlic, onions, ginger (shredded ginger), salt, ground pepper, chilli peppers, pcs. of smoked salmon or anchovies, shrimps, pcs. of pork mini cutlets. 

You have to cook the ingredients first and mix it with coconut milk (half can) before you wrapped all the ingredients in the taro leaves. Once wrapped as shown above photo, submerge the gifts on a big wok with another can of coconut milk and sprinkle a dash of salt.

Cook the taro gifts on high heat (cover the wok with its lid) for about an hour or until its cooked.

Watch it carefully, not to drain the sauce. The coconut cream sauce is very important in this viand.

That's why better to use 3 cans of coconut milk for this kind of viand.

And it's cooked perfectly! Very delicious!! Yum, yum!

more steamed rice please.