Cabbage is a rare plant. It grows in Central and South America. The rhizome of cabbage is used for food, which surpasses potatoes in nutritional properties.
Description of the plant
The scientific name for caribbean cabbage is Xanthosoma Arrowhead. It is also called Malanga. She belongs to the aroid family. This product can be found in farmers' markets in the United States. It is sometimes sold in Korea and other countries in tropical Asia. In general, the plant is native to tropical regions in Venezuela, Brazil, Nicaragua, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, the Antilles, Guatemala, Mexico.
An adult plant can reach a height of two meters. The leaves are large and green. The arrow-shaped stem is directed upwards. The petioles can go deep into the ground up to two meters. Malanga is cultivated for its tuberous and brown hairy rhizomes. They are very nutritious and starchy. Sometimes stems and leaves are eaten. From the roots of the plant, flour is obtained for baking various products.
Dishes with Malanga
Those who have tasted malanga at least once in their life describe its taste as nutty and earthy. Some people say that the tuber looks more like a nut than a vegetable because of its taste. For consumption, the tuber is fried, stewed or grilled. Malanga leaves are used in stews and other vegetable dishes. Young and tender tubers are especially appreciated. If the Malanga tuber is chopped, there will be a white creamy flesh.
To prepare flour, the tuber is ground into a paste. The flour is rich and starchy. However, the starch particles in Malang are very small. Therefore, the flour made from this vegetable is hypoallergenic. This is especially important for those with food allergies.
To prepare one of the traditional dishes, take 1 grated Malanga, 1 egg, 1 onion, 2 cloves of garlic, half a glass of vegetable oil, salt and pepper to taste. First, combine all ingredients (except oil) into a homogeneous paste in a large bowl. The mixture should resemble dough in shape. Form the dough into balls and fry them in vegetable oil until golden brown. The process is similar to cooking potato pancakes. However, Malanga plays a key role here.
To make Malanga soup, you will need 2 Malanga, 4 cloves of garlic, 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, salt to taste. Put the garlic in the olive oil, preheat the oven, cover the garlic with foil and bake until tender. This will take approximately 35 minutes. Meanwhile, place Malanga in a saucepan of salted boiling water and cook until tender. Cooking Malanga will take 30-35 minutes. Then transfer the Malanga to a large bowl. Add the garlic and oil there. Beat everything with an electric mixer until almost puree. Add broth as you beat. Finally, season the dish with salt and pepper.
