I am always looking for ways to eat more leafy greens beyond the usual kale, spinach and lettuce. I am sure many of you have heard of the taro root, but less familiarly used are the leaves of the Colocasia Esculenta (Taro or Elephant Ear) plant.
Eager to incorporate this delicious leaf into our meal plan, I sourced taro root bulbs in the spring from this seller on Etsy, and we grew our own Colocasia plant! It makes quite the pretty addition to our garden, and a delicious addition to our plates. The taste is similar to spinach once cooked. Due to the high oxalate content in the leaves, however, do be sure to cook the leaves thoroughly before consuming!
Colocasia leaves are incredibly nutritious. They are high in protein and fibre packing nearly 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fibre per 100 grams of leaf. They also boast an impressive list of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, vitamin C, B vitamins, folate, and vitamins A, E and K. As a result, these leaves are full of antioxidants and are anti-inflammatory; thought to help prevent cancers, lower blood pressure, improve eye health, boost immunity, aid digestion, reduce risk of anemia and are considered neuroprotective.
I’m all in for anything that tastes delicious and helps protect my brain!
I’ve included below a recipe for Patra, a delicious dairy free, gluten free and low carb snack that utilizes the colocasia leaf. This dish originates from the state of Gujarat in India, from where my family originates. I have fond memories of my mom making these delicious rolls, filled with a chickpea flour and spice paste, from my childhood. While it’s one of the few things I wish I had learned from her before we lost her to Alzheimer’s, I’m so excited that I’ve taught myself how to make them and they are just as tasty as I recall!
Hope you give it a try. It’s really quite a simple process, even though the recipe seems daunting! Most of the ingredients are readily sourced either at your local in most regular or Indo-Asian grocery stores. Enjoy! 🤍
Patra
Serves 6 people
Required
12 medium sized colocasia (elephant ear) leaves (approx. dinner plate sized)
steamer or trivet and large pot for cooking
large frying pan for sautéing
Ingredients for Filling
2 cups chickpea (gram) flour
1 tsp grated ginger
½ medium green chilli pepper (frozen and grated) (optional)
2 tsp cayenne/ red chilli powder (optional)
1 tablespoon oil of choice (I use vegetable)
salt to taste (batter should taste slightly salty to accommodate for the leaves)
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp asafoetida powder (optional)
½ tsp tamarind paste dissolved in warm water
¼ cup grated jaggery (or brown sugar)
water (as needed to adjust consistency)
Ingredients for Sauté and Garnish
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
vegetable oil (to coat patra and bottom of pan)
⅓ cup chopped onion
5 curry leaves (optional)
1 clove garlic finely chopped
2 tsp sesame seeds
unsweetened coconut (to garnish)
chopped cilantro (to garnish)
Directions:
Mix all of the filling ingredients together in a bowl.
Adjust salt and spice to taste.
Paste should be consistency of cake batter.
If too thick, add a small amount of water. If too thin, add a small amount of gram flour. Then set aside.
Next, make sure all leaves are wiped clean, and any thick stems or veins are trimmed/pared down with a sharp knife, being careful not to tear leaves.
Lay largest leaf face down, stem side toward you, and spread filling paste evenly over the entire leaf.
Lay another leaf face down on top of that leaf with the stem away from you and spread another layer of filling. Continue layering and spreading filling for 4 leaves, from largest to smallest (like a lasagna).
Once you have 4 leaves and filling stacked, carefully fold in the side edges of the stack, and tightly roll the leaves into a log (think burrito or sushi roll!). Use filling paste as a glue as needed to ensure roll stays together.
Spread a thin layer of paste on the outside to lock in moisture and flavour the exterior leaf.
Repeat with the other 8 leaves, making 3 logs in total.
Place trivet in a large pot. Fill pot with water to just below trivet line. Place rolls on the trivet, and cover with a lid. Steam on medium - medium/high heat for 20-30 minutes until thoroughly cooked through. (This step is crucial as undercooked colocasia leaves cause a burning/itching sensation in the mouth due to the oxalate content)
Once cooked, remove rolls from the pot, cool and slice into 1 inch thick slices.
Heat enough oil in the bottom of a large frying pan to coat the pan.
Once hot, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds to oil. Wait until the mustard seeds begin ‘popping’, then add onions.
Sauté onions until nearly cooked and golden, then add garlic, curry leaves and sesame seeds, and cook until onions are done.
Toss patra slices in with the oil and onion mixture and continue to brown. We like our patra golden with some parts crispy, but lightly sautéed is fine, as well. Don’t worry if the slices fall apart a bit...it will be just as delicious!
Once browned, plate the patra, sprinkle with sesame seeds, grated coconut, cilantro and ENJOY a nutritious, anti-inflammatory Indian treat!
