Taanmu Kara-age
田芋のから揚げ·(taanmu kara-age)
Sata Andagi & Island Sweets: Snacks and Rituals
If you grew up in an Okinawan household, the smell of soy sauce and sugar caramelizing in a hot pan immediately 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. In Okinawa, grandmothers buy it from the market already steamed, but in America, you can capture that exact sticky-fluffy texture by grabbing baby taro at your local Asian market and boiling it yourself before it ever sees the fryer. It’s sweet, savory, deeply nostalgic, and dangerously good eaten straight out of the fridge at midnight.
Before you start
Boil the taro ahead of time.
The raw taro can be boiled, cooled, peeled, and kept in the refrigerator up to three days in advance, turning this into a ten-minute weeknight dish.
Ingredients
- baby taro roots1 lb
- neutral oil1 qt
- Japanese soy sauce3 tbsp
- light brown sugar3 tbsp
- water2 tbsp
- fresh ginger1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Boil the raw taro until deeply tender.
Place the scrubbed taro in a medium pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 to 25 minutes until a skewer glides effortlessly into the center of the largest root, then drain and let cool. If you try to fry raw taro, the outside burns before the inside ever cooks.
- 02
Peel and cut the cooled taro into uniform pieces.
The skins should slide right off with a paring knife. Cut the flesh into 1-inch cubes or thick half-moons, then pat them completely dry with a paper towel.
- 03
Combine the glaze ingredients in a wide skillet next to the stove.
Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and grated ginger to the pan, but leave the heat off for now.
- 04
Deep fry the taro until golden and rigid.
Heat about two inches of neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F. Carefully drop in the taro cubes and fry for 3 to 5 minutes to build a dark, crunchy exterior around the already-cooked center, then remove to a wire rack.
- 05
Bubble the glaze and rapidly toss the fried taro.
Turn the heat under your skillet to medium-high and let the glaze bubble vigorously for 30 to 60 seconds into a loose syrup. Immediately drop in the hot taro, toss for exactly 10 seconds to coat, and pull it off the heat before the crust gets soggy. Serve immediately.
Notes
Use standard baby taro if Taanmu is unavailable.
You will usually find these labeled as eddoes or satoimo at a local Asian market. A single large taro root chopped down to size also works beautifully.
From Cook Okinawan in America.