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Amadumbe
Boiled taro
Amadumbe: KwaZulu-Natal taro corms boiled in their skins and dressed with spring onion and chilli
Market women in Pietermaritzburg and along the KwaZulu-Natal north coast sell amadumbe by the bucket, hairy brown corms that look unpromising until boiled and peeled to reveal dense, creamy white flesh with a nutty, almost chestnut-like flavour. They are eaten hot as a starch with a stew, cold as a snack, or simply split and buttered; this vegan version dresses them in oil warmed with spring onion and chilli. Peeling them raw is the mistake to avoid, because the sap irritates the skin and leaves your hands itching. Always cook taro right through: undercooked corms taste scratchy in the throat. Chef's tip: boil them in their skins and slip the skins off while still warm, when they come away cleanly with a small knife.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
To dress
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 3 spring onionsthinly sliced
- 1 red chilli (optional)finely chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Scrub 2 ¼ lb taro under running water with a brush to remove the soil; wear gloves if your skin is sensitive. Leave the skins on.
Step 2: Put the corms in a large pot, cover with cold water by 3 cm, add 1 tsp salt and bring to the boil over a high heat.
Step 3: Lower to a medium heat and boil steadily until a knife slides into the centre of the biggest corm with no resistance at all.
30 minStep 4: Drain and leave until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes, then peel off the skins with a small knife while still warm.
5 minStep 5: Warm 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a small pan over a low heat with 3 spring onions and 1 red chilli for 2 minutes, until the onions just soften.
2 minStep 6: Halve the amadumbe, spoon the spring-onion oil over and season with the rest of 1 tsp salt. Serve hot, or with a knob of butter instead of the oil if you are not keeping it vegan.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does amadumbe take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
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