Hunan-Style Taro with Chilies and Fermented Black Beans
1 min readTaro root is a popular side dish in Hunan. Peel the taro with a vegetable peeler under running water to avoid any skin sensitivity to its sticky juices. Duo jiao, a fiery Hunan pepper sauce consisting of chopped red chilies pickled in brine, has a distinctive salty and sour taste; it is available in Asian markets. Chinese chili paste, a milder hot sauce flavored with garlic, can be substituted; in this instance, add it to the wok along with the sesame oil.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
1 1⁄4 pounds taro root, peeled, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 to 2 teaspoons Hunan pepper sauce (duo jiao)
1 teaspoon rinsed and drained fermented black beans, crushed
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1⁄4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1⁄2 tablespoon toasted (dark) sesame oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil over high heat. Add the taro and reduce the heat to medium-high; cook until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a wok or large nonstick skillet, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the hot pepper sauce, black beans, and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium and add the taro, broth, sesame oil, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until taro has absorbed the broth, about 3 minutes. Serve warm.
{PER SERVING} Calories 173 • Protein 3g • Total Fat 5g • Sat Fat 1g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 31g • Dietary Fiber 5g • Sodium 55mg
