Stewed Taro Leaves - Mauritian Recipe - Brede Songe Touffé | Vegan/Vegetarian Recipe
Hi Friends
I am preparing one of my favourite greens today. They are these huge taro leaves which
in Mauritius we call brede songe.
They grow out of the taro roots which I also often buy.
You might have seen them in a couple of our grocery haul videos.
So, I've never seen these ... the fresh taro greens over here in Canada
in the stores, not even at our local Asian store.
So, I obtained these by growing them on our balcony.
Sometimes when I buy the taro roots, a couple of them would start to sprout.
And I decided to just put them in some soil in a pot and see what happens.
So, I didn't think they would grow but they did. And during the summer months I've put them
on my balcony. And the leaves grew out to be that big.
So, now it's starting to be ... to get a little coolerand the leaves were starting to wilt.
So, I decided it was time to harvest them
There are many ways that these taro greens can be prepared
and the most common way that we prepare them in Mauritius is to stew them
with some light spices, tomatoes and sometimes tamarind.
Some people also add chickpeas or brown chickpeas to them.
I am going to prepare them the way my mum makes them
which is how I remember them from my childhood and how I like to eat them.
So, let's start.
In this recipe, we are
using the stems (which are also known as corms)as well as the leaves.
First, separate the leaves from the stems.
There are a few varieties of taro roots andleaves.
The one that I’ve grown is the white taroroots.
They produce leaves and corms of a green colour.
The purple taro produces stems of a purplishcolour and they are somewhat tougher to cook.
The stems contain a substance that can causeirritation if they come into contact with
the skin.
If you have sensitive skin, you may want towear rubber gloves while preparing the taro
leaves.
You can wash the stems beforehand.
Then peel and cut into small pieces.
If the stems are rather tender, I usuallydo not peel them.
I just cut them into smaller pieces.
When cooked for long enough the stems willmelt along with the leaves.
Cut the leaves in half lengthwise.
Then stack a few and roll them.
Taro leaves may not be available everywhere but since this recipe is a Mauritian classic,
we wanted to share it. You might be able to find taro leaves at some Asian or Caribbean stores
depending on regions. So, you may want to have a look if you want to give them a try.
So, cut the rolled leaves across into very thin ribbons.
Cutting them thinly will allow them to cookbetter into a smooth texture.
Once cut wash them thoroughly and drain the water.
Keep the leaves and stem pieces separate aswe are going to start cooking the stems first.
I am using a shallot in this recipe.
You can also use red or white onion.
Finely dice the onion.
Peel and chop or mince the garlic.
To deseed the tamarind paste, soak it in somewarm water.
Once it has softened, mash it in between yourfingers to remove the seeds.
We have another video where we’ve demonstratedhow to do this.
Check the description for the link.
In a large pan on medium-high heat, add onetablespoon of cooking oil.
I am using sunflower oil.
Add in the minced ginger followed by the choppedonions and garlic.
Saute for about 1 minute.
We usually keep minced ginger on hand.
We have a video on the channel where we’veshared a few tips on how to mince and preserve
your own ginger or garlic.
Check the description for the link.
Add the cumin and a little water if required,if the onions are sticking to the pan.
Next add in the stems.
Stir, add little water and then cover.
Let them cook for about 10 minutes.
It is important to note that taro leaves need to be properly cooked
over a long period of time before consuming.
This is because taro greens contain a fair amount of calcium oxalate
which is a naturally occurring pesticide in many plants.
They are tiny needle-like crystals. Eating raw or half-cooked
taro leaves can cause uncomfortable itching in the mouth and throat.
It is therefore important to cook the leaves thoroughly over a long period of time
to destroy this substance.
When cooked for at least 45 minutes, the taro leaves are perfectly safe for consumption.
Add in the leaves and just a little salt tohelp the greens cook.
Don’t add too much salt at this stage asyou might be misguided by the volume of the
leaves and the dish might end up too salty.
Add a little water, stir and then cover.
Lower the heat to medium and cook for about45 minutes.
Stir occasionally during this time and addwater as needed so that the greens do not
stick to the pan.
You may mash the leaves to help them reacha creamy texture.
After about 45 minutes of cooking, the taroleaves will change colour to a deeper green.
Add the chopped tomatoes and diluted tamarindpaste.
The tamarind is actually optional but itstangy flavour marries well with the somewhat
nutty hint of the taro greens.
If the tomato that you are using is quitesour, then omit the tamarind.
Also optional in this dish is the additionof cooked brown chickpeas.
You can usually find brown chickpeas at anAsian or Indian store.
You may also use regular chickpeas, eithercanned or boiled.
Stir, then cover and let cook for another10 minutes.
Turn off the heat and adjust the salt if necessary.
Serve with roti or rice accompanied by someother curries like a butter bean or white
bean curry.
The stewed taro greens result in a distinctlysmooth creamy silky texture that is really
unlike any other greens.
The closest in texture to them might probablybe spinach if cooked for long enough but nevertheless
their taste is quite unmatched; they havea nuttier greener flavour.
On a sidenote, a little taro leaf tidbit.There is a saying in the Mauritian language
that says “dilo lor brede songe” whichmeans “water on the taro leaf” or more
precisely referring to the state of beinglike the taro leaf
where water cannot wet it.
Similar to the lotus leaf, the water rollsalong the surface like pearls and while doing
so, it also cleanses the leaf by removingdirt from it.
This self-cleaning capability is also knownas the lotus effect.
So, this expression is often used in a situationwhere for example someone is experiencing
some negative criticism that is mostly inflictedout of spite by someone else.
This saying serves as a reminder to remainlike the taro leaf, that is being unaffected
by the situation and be able to rise above it.
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The full printable recipe can be found onour website.
Check the description for the link.
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Have a great week and see you soon.
✿ Veganlovlie Recipes - Stewed taro leaves (brede songe touffé) - Vegan: is a classic Mauritian recipe. Leaves of the taro plant are cooked over a long period of time with light spices, tomatoes and tamarind. The result is a creamy silky texture that is really unlike any other greens. Enjoy this dish accompanied by other curries and condiments. See below for suggestions. ✿ FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE ▶ http://veganlovlie.com/stewed-taro-leaves-recipe/ ✿ RECIPE SUGGESTIONS ✿ -- Try stewed taro leaves with • Butter Bean Curry ▶ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG_6HnQtKt4 • Apple Tamarind Chutney ▶ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcCVpgjs3Z0 • Homemade Roti ▶ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aLkWrp31jo ✿ VIDEOS MENTIONED ✿ -- Tips: Pre-mince, Prepare, Preserve and Store Ginger or Garlic ▶ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVVk7CtXNpo -- How to deseed and prepare tamarind pulp or paste ▶ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgf1CI0w4FA ✿ Our Photography & Filming gear ▶ https://veganlovlie.com/gear/ ✿ In our @ VEGANLOVLIE KITCHEN ✿ » Pressure cooker: https://amzn.to/2R5Hjvp » Cast iron skillet: https://amzn.to/2Ng95o1 » Circular wooden board and rolling pin: https://amzn.to/2R6e2AT » Cast iron griddle: https://amzn.to/36InkJD » Hand blender: https://amzn.to/2Nf3GgO » Blender: https://amzn.to/35HFGcD » Measuring cups: https://amzn.to/2sdHmwJ » Measuring spoons: https://amzn.to/37NgFOG » Kitchen food scale: https://amzn.to/2TenMMa » Dry food containers: https://amzn.to/37VESSQ » Stainless steel food containers set: https://amzn.to/2tRiFqA » Thermos thermal water bottle: https://amzn.to/2TccrvS » Manual spice grinder - http://amzn.to/2nNH1xu » Carbon steel wok - http://amzn.to/2oJfcWm » Burnished bamboo angled spatula http://amzn.to/2oASFKT » Burnished bamboo all-purpose spatula - http://amzn.to/2pksjyn » Chinese cleaver - http://amzn.to/2p4ttxA __ ✿ Help Veganlovlie Grow ✿ ▶ Like, comment and share this video. It means a lot to us. ▶ Subscribe to the channel for more free recipes. Don't forget to enable your notifications so that you don't miss any uploads. It's the little bell icon besides the channel name once you subscribe. (✿◠‿◠)/ __ ✿ SIGN UP FOR UPDATES -- when we upload new recipes, cooking tips and other resources -- ▶ https://veganlovlie.com/subscribe-mailing-list ✿ LET'S CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA ▶ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Veganlovlie ▶ Twitter - http://twitter.com/Veganlovlie ▶ Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/veganlovlie ▶ Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/veganlovlie ✿ SUPPORT US If you would like to support this channel, you can make a donation via: ▶ Paypal - https://www.paypal.me/teenuja ✿ OUR WEBSITE ▶ https://veganlovlie.com ❤❤ Teenuja (◕‿◕✿) + Kevin ⊂◉‿◉つ __ ☢ FILMING AND VIDEO EDITING ▶ Kevin Mangaroo - http://www.kevinmangaroo.com ♫ MUSIC CREDIT ▶ Beachfront Celebration by Kevin MacLeod -http://www.incompetech.com ▶ Audionautix ▶ RW Smith ▶ Vibe Tracks #veganlovlie #veganrecipes #vegetarianrecipes