DIGGING YOUR ROOTS

Root Veggie Recipe

Rutabaga, parsnips, taro—their names are familiar, but how do you prepare them? Renowned cooking teacher Joanne Weir demystifies the lesser-known, plucked-from-the-soil veggies

 Curried Root Vegetables

      root-vegetable tagine image

      Prep time: 26 minutes
      Cooking time: 28 minutes
      Serves 4 to 6
      Serve with steamed basmati rice.

      • ½ pound taro
      • ½ pound carrots
      • ½ pound parsnips
      • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
      • 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
      • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
      • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
      • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
      • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
      • 4 cardamom pods, crushed
      • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
      • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
      • ½ teaspoon paprika
      • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
      • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
      • 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped, fresh or canned
      • ½ jalapeño pepper, halved lengthwise
      • ¾ cup coconut milk
      • Cilantro sprigs
      • 1. Peel taro, and cut into large chunks. Simmer in boiling salted water until almost tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, cool, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Peel the carrots and parsnips; cut into 1-inch cubes.
        2. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over low heat. Add the ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add the taro, coriander, cumin, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, red chili powder, paprika, pepper, turmeric, tomatoes, jalapeño, coconut milk and 1 cup water. Cover, and simmer until the taro is tender, about 4 minutes. Add the parsnips and carrots; simmer until cooked, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove cover, and continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Place in a bowl, and garnish with the cilantro sprigs.