Commonly, taro is cooked and eaten just like baked or mashed potatoes. But if you’re not really a fan of consuming something that’s mushy, fret not because there’s another way for you to add taro in your diet — by turning it into chips that you can snack on whether you’re watching a movie at home or you have friends dropping by for coffee.
When chips are mentioned, most people think of snacks that are salty and greasy. Well, it’s a case to case basis. Chips that are out of processed ingredients and deep fried in animal fat are certainly bad for you.
On the other hand, chips that are made from taro, which is a highly nutritious root vegetable, are superb for you. They are nothing like those bagged chips at the supermarket that are laden with sodium and saturated fat, which can easily ruin your figure as well as your overall health!
You can always comb your entire city just to get your hands on some taro chips, or you can simply continue reading. That’s because this article will teach you how to whip up some crispy, delicious and nutritious taro chips!
But before we take a look at the recipe, let’s first check out some of the health perks of consuming taro:
-It promotes better digestive health. Because taro is loaded with dietary fiber, it helps regulate bowel movement, thus encouraging the removal of toxins and impurities along the GI tract. Dietary fiber in taro also helps promote the multiplication of good bacteria residing in the gut.
-It lowers heart disease risk. Thanks to the loads of dietary fiber in taro, it’s something that can help lower cholesterol and unclog the arteries. Taro also contains potassium, which means that it is very good at keeping at bay high blood pressure or hypertension that can increase a person’s risk of heart problems.
-It controls blood sugar levels. Dietary fiber present in taro is also an excellent regulator of the levels of sugar in the blood. This only means that the consumption of taro is highly beneficial for people with diabetes. Those who are at risk of diabetes can benefit from taro, too.
-It supplies the body with vitamin C. We all know that vitamin C is a nutrient that helps make the immune system strong. Since taro is rich in vitamin C, it’s something that can help lower infection risk. Vitamin C is also needed for skin that is healthy as well as looking young.
-It also provides vitamin A and E. It’s no secret that vitamin A, which can be found in good amounts in taro, is necessary for keeping sharp vision intact. On the other hand, vitamin E present in taro can help delay aging of the skin. The said nutrient also promotes a healthier cardiovascular system.
There are a bunch of other taro benefits, according to scientist. However, it’s time for us to learn how to make some really crispy and delectable taro chips! Here’s the easy-to-follow recipe:
Ingredients:
1 large-sized taro
Olive oil
Sea salt
Directions:
-Have your oven preheated to 400° F.
-In the meantime, wash taro very thoroughly under running water.
-Carefully peel taro. If necessary, wash one more time under running water.
-Slice taro into very thin slices using a sharp knife. Be very careful!
-If you have a mandolin, feel free to use it!
-Place taro slices in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil.
-Sprinkle some sea salt, about 1/2 teaspoon only.
-If there’s a seasoning that you like, such as curry powder or cumin powder, you may add a little.
-Toss with your hands to ensure that every taro slice is covered in oil and seasoning.
-Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Neatly place taro slices on it.
-Bake for about 20 minutes or until taro slices are crisp. Remember to flip them over halfway.
-Allow to cool for a while then serve!
