Vegan Eddo Recipe- Lemon Thyme Taro Root
Soft, smooth silky and delicious, this vegan eddo recipe takes the best of taros smaller cousin and tops it with fresh thyme, lemon, and olive oil after simmering it in a garlicky umami bath. Simple, but bursting with flavor, this homestyle preparation of starchy eddo roots is a great addition to any meal. They would be perfect with rice, and even better served with our swiss chard ohitashi and pickled stems. Whatever you eat it with be careful- these simple and modest roots might just steal the show.
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All About Eddo and Taro Roots
First things first- eddo is closely related to taro, and often considered one in the same, although they are smaller than most taro roots and come from a different (although closely related) plant. Eddo are commonly grown and enjoyed in China and Japan. They are fairly small, about the size of a golf ball, and covered with a hairy brown skin. The flesh inside is white, and contains a sort of slimy substance that is easily removed with cooking (although you may find it irritates your skin- if so, use gloves when handling). They have a light, starchy flavor, and a mild umami flavor. They’re high in fiber, and contain a good amount of vitamins A, C, E, B6, and folate, as well as magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphorous, potassium, manganese, and copper. They should always be peeled and cooked before eating. Buy them when they are hard and firm, and store at them at room temperature, consuming before they soften at all.
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Making this Vegan Eddo Recipe
This recipe was inspired by a similar one from Just One Cookbook, which uses the same simmering technique with more traditional Japanese flavors. The basic concept is the eddo roots are peeled and then boiled until just cooked- this first boiling will help to remove any sliminess, bitterness or skin irritation. Then we move on to the delicious part- we make a brine, and then simmer the roots within. The eddo will absorb the soy and sugar, giving it a deep and complex flavor. It will also become soft and silky smooth, perfect to be topped with the rest of our flavor elements. Lemon, olive oil, and fresh thyme give a fresh flavor to these simmered roots, and are the perfect side to your dinner- think of them as upgraded boiled potatoes!
Vegan Eddo Recipe- Lemon Thyme Taro Root
Ingredients
- 1 lb. eddo taro (about 6 small roots)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. While you’re waiting, prepare the eddo by slicing off the tops and bottoms, and using a paring knife to peel of the skins. Rinse to remove any stuck-on skin, and set aside. Salt the boiling water generously, and then add the peeled eddo. Boil for around 5 minutes, until you can stick a skewer through the roots. It doesn’t need to be super soft, as we will be cooking it more. Drain the water, and rinse gently to remove any of the sliminess from the root (which is totally normal).
- Quickly rinse out your pot, and then return it to the stove with three cups of water. Add the soy sauce and sugar and stir, add the eddo again, and bring it to a gentle simmer. The water should just about cover up the eddo- if not, you may want to add more water, sugar, and soy sauce. While the eddo simmers, finely mince the garlic and add it directly to the pot. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes total.
- While the eddo are simmering, zest the lemon and remove the thyme leaves from the stem. After about 20 minutes of simmering, juice the lemon directly into the pot and let cook for just a couple more minutes. Drain the eddo, and place in a serving bowl. Top with olive oil, lemon zest, fresh thyme, and a little salt if desired. Serve warm.
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