Satoimo / Japanese Taro
Taros have a long history of being eaten even before rice in Japan, and serve as an essential part of New Year's Osechi dishes
What is satoimo?
People eat the underground stem of the satoimo / Japanese taro (さといも in Japanese) plant, which is covered with a tough, brown-striped skin. Its flesh is white and smooth, with a characteristic sticky texture. It is a type of potato that is known around the world as “taro,” and is thought to have been a staple food in Japan before rice cultivation began. Satoimo is often used in stews and soups, as well as in fried dishes, stir-fries, gratins, salads, etc.
Nutrition facts
Satoimo is mainly composed of starch, but is also rich in dietary fiber and contains a small amount of protein. It contains a balanced amount of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber in a 1:2 ratio, which improves the intestinal environment and supports smooth bowel movements. The unique slimy texture that appears when satoimo is peeled is a polysaccharide called galactan, a type of soluble dietary fiber. Satoimo also contains a lot of potassium, which helps the body excrete excess salt; iron, which is essential for delivering oxygen throughout the body; vitamin B6, which helps with amino acid metabolism; folic acid, which helps with red blood cell production along with iron; and vitamin C, which promotes iron absorption.
To prevent the loss of the soluble dietary fiber and water-soluble vitamins, it is best to steam satoimo or put it in soup so it is eaten in a broth.
Storage to prevent food loss
Wrap the satoimo in newspaper or put it in a paper bag with the soil still on and store it at room temperature for up to a month. In the summer and other hot seasons, wrap the satoimo in newspaper or paper towel, put it in a plastic bag, and put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about 2 weeks.
Trivia
As satoimo grows secondary spuds around the parent potato, and more potatoes grow around those, it is an essential ingredient in Osechi cuisine as a symbol of prosperity for descendants. There are varieties where you eat the long, thin parent tuber, varieties where you eat the secondary baby tuber, and varieties where you eat both the parent tuber and the baby tuber, but they can all be cooked in the same way.
Caution
The tingling sensation on your tongue when you eat satoimo, and the itching on your hands when you peel it, are caused by the calcium oxalate it contains. This dissolves when the satoimo is heated, but if this comes as a concern, sprinkle salt on the peeled satoimo, boil, and discard the boiling water before cooking.
Cooking Basics
When satoimo are boiled or simmered, they becomes slimy and broth becomes murky and thick, so sprinkle on salt and rub all over before cooking satoimo. The recommended amount of salt is about 2 Tbsp per 5 to 6 satoimo. Place these into a pot, add plenty of water, and cook over high heat until bubbles begin to form. Rinse quickly in water to remove the sliminess. You can use this method to prepare dashi-flavored simmered dishes having clear, light broth.
Once peeled, quickly rinse under cold water, then use a clean and dry dish cloth to wipe away any sliminess. Using paper towel is also convenient. For dishes where some thickness (sliminess) is welcome, such as stewed dishes, this is a commonly used method.
Peel the satoimo to create a six-sided shape. Doing so increases aesthetic appeal, and is especially recommended for Japanese-style simmered dishes served for guests. First thinly slice off the top and bottom, then adjust each width while peeling vertically to create six even sides. Once a section is peeled, peel the section on the opposite side next, rather than the section beside, as this will make it easier to create equal-sized peeled sections.
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