Sweet Potato, Carrot and Turmeric Soup

Turmeric peeled

Get
2 large red sweet potatoes / kumeras
2 large white sweet potatoes/ (Ipomoea batatas)
1 bunch of young carrots
4 parsnips
1 leek/ shallot

Turmeric fresh and unpeeled

3 Turmeric roots (fresh, each small finger sized)
5 Garlic cloves
1 Chili pepper
1 Lemongrass bottom white of the stalk
3 Kaffir lime leaves (Citrus hystrix)
Fresh coriander and flat parsley
Some black pepper seeds
Olive oil

White sweet potato

Do
Stock
Boil 1 liter of water in a pot, add black pepper, chopped lemon grass, 1 kaffir leaf
Add clean peelings and vegetable off cuts as you go. Simmer while preparing vegetables.

Soup
Clean, peel and chop leek, carrots, parsnips and turmeric. Keep the tender tips of carrots and turmeric aside. Fry leek, add turmeric in large pieces and fry, till all is golden. Add the chili pepper and the carrots/turmeric, stir. Strain some of the hot stock on to the vegetables, cover and simmer for 10 min. Cut the peeled sweet potato in large chunks, keeping a few pieces aside. Add 3 garlic and 1 kaffir leaf. Simmer in covered pot. After 40 minutes add the remaining tender vegetable bits, the remaining sweet potao pieces, and some chopped coriander/parsley.
Just before serving add the keffir lime leaf for fragrance and the last bit of coriander/ parsley.

Ginger fruit and herb tea

GET

Ginger, thumb size piece
5 strawberries
4 slices of citrus
A sprig of sage/ mint/ or lemon balm
2-3 fruit of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) or rose hip
Honey (optional)

DO

Take the young ginger rhizome, wash, peel it thinly and slice.
Wash the strawberries and slice.
Slice 4 slices of an orange, remove the pith and pips
Wash hibiscus/ rose hip fruit
Wash herbs, remove stalks
Add all into jug
Pour 1 liter of boiled water over ingredients and let them steep for 6 minutes.


The drink can be composed freely depending on the availability of ingredients. It can be served hot or cold. You might want to strain the tea and add a few slices of strawberry only. Serve with or without honey.

Taro in Coconut Milk

Get
2 large taro roots (Colocasia esculenta)
coconut milk

Do

Soak the cleaned taro in cold water overnight. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. It should be completely cooked or it might irritate your skin and throat. Peel and chop it into large chunks. Heat coconut milk, add taro chunks and heat. The taro should be covered.
Optional: You might want to add hot chili and sliced okras (Abelmoschus esculentus). Taro is also nice mashed, or fried in butter.

Taro leaf stands like edible Water chestnuts (Eleocharis dulcis) in permanent water bodies

Many cultures have eddoecorm as a dessert. The Tongans seem to have a large variety of these 'root' crops.

Beetroots with Red Rice and Pine Nuts

GET
500 g Beetroot
250 g Thai Red Jasmine Rice/or Camargue red rice
1 cup of Pine nuts/ Macademia

Dressing:
Some Olive oil
Some Mirin/Lemon juice

Garnish:
Greens leaves of (rucola, parsely etc)
Optional:
Yogurt with garlic

DO
Steam rice. Cook beets and peel. Prepare a dressing from the olive oil and mirin. Pour 1/3 over the cooked rice and the rest over the warm, peeled and cubed beets. Roast the nuts. Arrange green leaves on a platter. Place rice in the middle and the beet cubes in a ring around it. Sprinkle the warm nuts on the rice. Serve hot or cold. Yogurt with or without garlic could be served with it. Feta also fits well.

Image: Beuckelaer, Joachim, 1564, Detail of Market Woman with Fruit, Vegetables and Poultry via Zeno