Taanmu Kara-age
田芋のから揚げ·(taanmu kara-age)
Sata Andagi & Island Sweets: Afternoon Snacks and Rituals
If you grew up in an Okinawan household, the smell of soy sauce and sugar caramelizing in a hot pan signals a celebration. Taanmu, or wetland taro, is a symbol of family prosperity served up in tiered lacquer boxes during Obon and New Year's. Raw water-taro spoils fast, so it is sold pre-boiled at the island markets. In the States, boiling your own baby taro before you fry it is the undisputed secret to getting that perfect texture: a rigid, golden-brown crust yielding to a fluffy, sticky interior, all slicked in a perfectly balanced sweet-and-salty glaze.
Before you start
Boil the taro to replicate the Okinawan market style.
Place the scrubbed raw taro in a medium pot, cover with water, and simmer for 15 to 25 minutes until a skewer easily pierces the center.
Peel and portion.
Once cool enough to handle, peel the skins off—they should slide right off with a paring knife—and cut into uniform 1-inch cubes. Pat completely dry with a paper towel.
Ingredients
- baby taro roots1 lb
- neutral oil2 qt
- dark soy sauce3 tbsp
- light brown sugar3 tbsp
- water2 tbsp
- fresh ginger1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Prepare the glaze station right next to your fryer.
Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and ginger in a wide skillet or wok, but leave the heat off for now.
- 02
Fry the boiled taro to build the crust.
Heat two inches of neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F. Carefully drop in the dry, pre-boiled taro pieces and fry for 3 to 5 minutes until they develop a rigid, golden-brown shell, then remove and drain briefly on a wire rack.
- 03
Rapidly reduce the glaze.
Turn the heat under your skillet to medium-high and let it bubble vigorously for 30 to 60 seconds until the sugar dissolves into a loose syrup.
- 04
Toss quickly and serve immediately.
Drop the hot, fried taro into the bubbling glaze and toss for exactly 10 seconds to coat every piece, pulling it off the heat before the crust goes soggy.
Notes
Do not try to fry raw taro.
If you skip the boiling step, the outside will burn before the inside cooks, leaving you with a chalky, inedible root.
The weeknight hack.
Boil, peel, and cube the taro on a Sunday, keeping it in the fridge until you are ready to fry a batch in under ten minutes later in the week.
From Cook Okinawan in America.