Hainan's taro rice

This is one of my favorite go-to recipes when people come over for dinner in summertime. At times like these, I just want to just toss some meat and veggies on the barbecue and offer easy sides.

Taro rice totally fits the bill. It’s delicious, it’s unusual, it’s easy, and it seems vaguely sinful since toasted coconut and peanuts are clambering around in there among the silky chunks of lavender taro.

I have a recipe for this in All Under Heaven, but I’ve course I’ve been playing around with it in the interim. After all, this is a favorite, and I’m always looking for shortcuts.

What I’ve discovered is this: the taro can be microwaved and then tossed into the rice cooker with the rice, instead of going to the bother of steaming it. I also cube my taro and freeze it for things like this and last week’s scallion bread, since it makes these dishes a real breeze.

Steam the taro with the rice - easy!

With only sticky rice, green onions, garlic, and salt rounding out the shopping list, I therefore always have all of the ingredients on hand, which makes this an ideal spur of the moment meal.

Taro rice

Hăinán yùfàn 海南芋飯

Hainan

Serves 4 to 6

1½ cups | 325 g raw sticky rice (long grain best, but short grain still delicious)

Water, as needed

1 cup | 130 g cubed raw taro

1 tablespoon sea salt

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 green onions, trimmed and finely chopped

... and done

1 cup toasted coconut, preferably strips rather than flakes (see Tips)

½ cup toasted peanuts

1. Rinse the rice and place it in your rice cooker. Add water as directed. (See Tips.) Place the taro in a microwaveable bowl, add about 2 tablespoons water, and microwave on high for about 5 minutes, then drain and toss the partially cooked taro onto the rice. Close the cooker and steam the rice and taro together.

2. While the rice is cooking, place the salt, garlic, and green onions in a large work bowl and rub them together, preferably with your fingers.

3. When the rice is done, remove the taro to the work bowl and lightly break it apart with a fork. Then toss in the cooked rice, coconut, and peanuts. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve hot.

Tips

Toast the coconut

Each rice cooker is different, so follow its directions and use its measuring cup to make around 2 cups steamed rice.

For toasted coconut, spread the coconut on a small tray and toast it in the oven at 300°F | 150°C just until it turns a golden brown and smells delicious. Keep an eye on it, as it turns from brown to black in a flash.

If you have leftovers, microwave them and top with a fried egg seasoned with a dash of regular soy sauce. Breakfast perfected.

Tropical vegan lust

In keeping with the previous week’s topic of long-grain sticky rice, this time we are journeying further down the coast of China to its smallest province, the island of Hainan, where something amazingly delicious is done with this very same grain.

It is another one of those dishes with terribly prosaic names for something that is terribly sophisticated and delicious.

Called “taro rice” in Chinese, it is much much more than simply rice and taro. Rather, this glorious concoction from China’s southernmost province is a reason all in itself to sit down to dinner. Literally.

This is so full of flavor and texture and nutrition that my mommy brain probably would call for some greens to be served too, but if I could get that voice to be quiet, I would happily subsist for quite a while on this.

Anything with peanuts is good

All I need is a nice beach to complete the picture.

Taro rice

Hǎinán yùfàn 海南芋飯

Hainan

Serves 4 to 6

2 cups long-grain sticky (sweet or glutinous) rice

12 ounces peeled mature, large taro (see Tips)

1 cup unsweetened coconut (strips preferred, but shredded is fine)

3 to 4 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 green onions, trimmed and finely chopped

½ cup Fried Peanuts

1. Rinse the rice and soak it for about 2 hours, or until it passes the fingernail test (i.e., you can crush it easily with your fingernail). Steam it for about 30 minutes, or until it is cooked but still chewy.

2. While the rice is steaming, cut the taro into large (1-inch) dice. Steam the taro until it is cooked all the way through. Turn the taro out onto a cutting board and coarsely chop it.

3. While the rice and taro are steaming, toast the coconut in a toaster oven at 300°F on a small tray until the coconut just begins to turn golden and smell wonderful. Empty the coconut into a large work bowl to stop the cooking. 

A complete tropical meal

4. Finely chop the garlic and add it to the coconut along with the salt and green onions, and then work them together, preferably with your fingers, to release their fragrances. Add the cooked rice and taro, and toss these together well.

5. Scoop the rice out into a serving dish, sprinkle the peanuts on top, toss lightly, and serve immediately while still hot.

Tips

If you have sensitive skin, use latex or plastic gloves while working with the raw taro, as it can cause severe rashes in some people, especially between the fingers. When in doubt, use the gloves.

This rice can be made ahead of time up through Step 4 and then reheated just before serving, at which time you should add your crunchy peanuts, of course

If you are averse to eating raw-ish garlic or have romantic plans for the evening, feel free to cook the garlic in a bit of oil before adding it to the rice.