Occurrence: Forests, Mountainous Open Areas, Rocks
Season of Availability: July - September
Geography: South and Southeast Asia
Method of Propagation: Corms or offshoots
Part used for Propagation: Corms or offshoots
Edible Parts
Edible Parts: Leaves, Tuber and Stem
Can be Eaten Raw: No
Method of Consumption
Raw: No
Ripe: No
Both Raw & Ripe: No
Dangerous Form to Consume: N/A
As Food: The tubers are boiled before cooking; Leaves can be steamed or cooked directly
As Medicine: Boiled taro tuber helps with acidity, while the corm is used for body aches. A decoction of taro peel treats diarrhea and it's also used as a galactagogue to enhance breast milk production in young mothers.
Cooking Method: - The tubers are boiled before cooking.
- Leaves can be steamed or cooked directly.
Preservation / Curing Technique: Stems are peeled, sundried and stored.
Does Require Another Plants to be cooked together: No
Souring Agents Required: Tamarind
Nutritional & Medicinal Benefits
Nutritional Benefit: Rich in vitamin A and thiamine.
Medicinal Benefit: Helps with diarrhea, bodyache, acidity and breast milk production.
Tribal Wisdom
Tribal Wisdom: - Leaves of Taro are eaten during the season.
- Boiled Tuber is used for acidity.
- Tera corm/tuber is used for body aches.
- Decoction of taro peel is used to cure diarrhea.
- Sometimes used as a galactagogue to increase breast milk production
in young mothers.
Recipes / Usage
Tribal Recipe / Usage: 1) Patvadya:
- Wash Tera leaves thoroughly with water and keep aside.
- Make a thin paste of chickpea flower, rice flour, crushed garlic and green chilli paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt.
- Apply the paste on the backside of leaves
- Roll the leaves to make small round logs and steam cook them
for 15 mins
- Once steamed, serve as is or cut into thick slices and shallow fry
2) Dal with Tera Leaves:
- Cook 1/2 cup Chana or Toor Dal with cut Tera leaves and water.
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil, add mustard seeds, 1 medium chopped onion, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1.5 tsps chilli powder and satuee well.
- Add the above tadka to the dal with Tera leaves and cover. - Simmer on low heat for a few minutes till all flavours blend. Add hot water if dal is too thick.
3) Pakora:
- Mix 1/2 cup besan and 1/2 cup rice flour. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt (as per taste) and cut Tera leaves.
- Mix all dry ingredients properly.
- Add water to make a smooth batter.
- Drop the batter in hot oil in clumps to make deep fried pakoras.
