Taro-Larouy or Lerouy

The taro is the edible root of the taro plant. It is elongated and purplish in colour. It is a vegetable that is cooked with coconut milk as a ‘ladob’ or thinly sliced and deep-fried to make chips. It is high in complex carbohydrates, calcium and iron and has a bland flavour. The texture is floury and slightly dry. It must be thickly peeled to remove the bitter sap that is located immediately beneath the skin.

Some other types of yam that are eaten in other countries contain tiny calcium oxalate crystals that cause uncomfortable itching in the mouth and throat. In some Pacific Islands the leaves are also cooked.

There is a variety of Taro that is locally known as Vya and is not consumed by humans but is fed to pigs. It has a very itchy sap.