Taro Recipes

VNE of the most useful indigenous plants known throughout the South Seas is the Taro, which is a staple article of native diet. It is easily cultivated

and rapidly produces immense, bluish

coloured roots which, to quote one

writer, “looks like mottled soap when cooked and served.” It is extremely dense and heavy, however, but is pleasant to taste.

Taro grows best in shallow, swampy ground through which streams run, or in swampy areas where water lies.

Compared with the large water-grown

roots, the dry-ground Taro is small and inferior. It is particularly valuable to natives in the hurricane belt, for when their other foods are destroyed the Taro lies uninjured below the water.

Europeans in the Pacific often vary their rather monotonous average bill of fare by serving the starchy roots boiled or baked. The following recipes, taken frcm the Hawaiian Planters' Monthly , may stimulate its consumption: Poi.—Take the desired amount of Taro flour and mix very thin with cold water, being sure there are no lumps; confine this in a bag or cloth and place in a kettle of cold water and bring the same to boil. Continue for to 2 hours or until cooked. When done (while warm) beat or stir with a potato masher or stout spoon, adding a little water until the whole is well mixed. Let this stand from 6 to 10 hours, then add water in small quantities, mixing thoroughly until the desired consistency is obtained.

Taro Cakes. —As the cooked flour, as above, is removed from the bag or cloth or after first mixing, shape into cakes and fry or bake as desired.

Poi Cocktails. —After the Poi becomes acid, take two or more tablespoonfuls and stir into a glass of water. This is a desirable form for seasickness, and usually the stomach will retain it when nothing else will remain.

Muffins.—Two cups Taro flour, one egg. well beaten, add the egg to a cup of milk and sufficient yeast to make thick, stir in the flour over night. In the morning add a little sod?, n’a'-e the batter in muffin rings and cook until done.

Rolls.—Add two eggs well beaten to two cups boiled* milk, a little yeast, adding a little salt, stir in Taro flour over night. In the morning add soda to sweeten, stir well, then bake in a slow oven till done.

Bread.—This 4 , can be made the same as wheat flour, care being taken not to make the batter too thick. Bake in a slow oven.

Pudding.—Two cups of milk, four large spoonfuls of Taro flour, stir well and boil Until done. Add one or two well-beaten eggs, stir thoroughly together and bake from 10 to 15 minutes. Eat with milk and sugar or flavoui’ed dressing.

Griddle Cakes. -Take one cup of wheat flour and two cups Taro flour. Mix with sour milk, to the consistency of ordinary batter cakes.

Add a little soda to counteract acidity of the milk, and fry in plenty of hot fat.

Gems.—Mix same as above, and bake in a hot gem pan.

Captain John Turner, of Lae, New

Guinea, who was one of Guinea Airways’ pilots, has resigned to join the new Aus tralian aviation company, Ansett Airways

Limited.