35 Facts About Taro

1.

Taro corms are a food staple in African, Oceanic, and South Asian cultures, and taro is believed to have been one of the earliest cultivated plants.

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2.

Taro is among the most widely grown species in the group of tropical perennial plants that are referred to as "elephant ears" when grown as ornamental plants.

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3.

Taro is very popular flavor for milktea in the country, and just as popular ingredient in several Flipino savory dishes such as sinigang.

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4.

Taro is related to Xanthosoma and Caladium, plants commonly grown ornamentally, and like them, it is sometimes loosely called elephant ear.

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5.

Taro was probably first native to the lowland wetlands of Malaysia, where it is called taloes.

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6.

Taro is found widely in tropical and subtropical regions of South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Papua New Guinea, and northern Australia and in Maldives.

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7.

Taro is highly polymorphic, making taxonomy and distinction between wild and cultivated types difficult.

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8.

Taro was later spread to Madagascar as early as the 1st century AD.

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9.

Taro can be grown in paddy fields where water is abundant or in upland situations where water is supplied by rainfall or supplemental irrigation.

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10.

Taro is one of the few crops that can be grown under flooded conditions.

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11.

Taro is the pre-eminent crop of the Cook Islands and surpasses all other crops in terms of land area devoted to production.

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12.

Taro is grown across the country, but the method of cultivation depends on the nature of the island it is grown on.

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13.

Taro plays an important role in the country's export trade.

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14.

Taro leaves are eaten, cooked with coconut milk, onion, and meat or fish.

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15.

Taro has been a staple of the Fijian diet for centuries, and its cultural importance is celebrated on Taro Day.

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16.

Taro is a traditional staple of the native cuisine of Hawaii.

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17.

Taro corm is a traditional staple crop for large parts of Papua New Guinea, with a domestic trade extending its consumption to areas where it is not traditionally grown.

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18.

The traditional staple however is the Swamp Taro known as Pulaka or Babai, a distant relative of the Taro but with a very long growing phase, larger and denser corms and coarser leaves.

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19.

Taro is commonly used as a main course as steamed taro with or without sugar, as a substitute for other cereals, in Chinese cuisine in a variety of styles and provinces steamed, boiled or stir-fried as a main dish and as a flavor-enhancing ingredient.

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20.

Taro cake is a delicacy traditionally eaten during Chinese New Year celebrations.

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21.

Taro paste, a traditional Cantonese cuisine, which originated from the Chaoshan region in the eastern part of China's Guangdong Province is a dessert made primarily from taro.

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22.

Taro stems are often used as an ingredient in yukgaejang .

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23.

Taro is usually known as "keladi", although other varieties are known as "talas", among others.

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24.

Taro is used in the Tet dessert che khoai mon, which is sticky rice pudding with taro roots.

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25.

Taro roots are commonly known as Arbi in Urdu and Hindi language.

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26.

Taro is available, either fresh or frozen, in the UK and US in most Asian stores and supermarkets specialising in Bangladeshi or South Asian food.

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27.

Taro is grown in the Terai and the hilly regions of Nepal.

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28.

Taro is cultivated and eaten by the Tharu people in the Inner Terai as well.

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29.

Taro was consumed by the early Romans in much the same way the potato is today.

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30.

Taro grows abundantly in the fertile land of the Azores, as well as in creeks that are fed by mineral springs.

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31.

Taro is called name in Canarian Spanish and is a common crop in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands .

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32.

Taro is grown in the south coast of Turkey, especially in Mersin, Bozyazi, Anamur and Antalya.

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33.

Taro is consumed as a staple crop in West Africa, particularly in Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon.

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34.

Taro has been grown for centuries in the United States, though it has never attained the same popularity as in Asian and Pacific nations.

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35.

Taro is called dasheen, in contrast to the smaller variety of corms called eddo, or tanya in the English speaking countries of the West Indies, and is cultivated and consumed as a staple crop in the region.

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