kolokássi

Wild taro (Colocasia esculenta),
is a root vegetable from Africa and Asia used in Cyprus since Roman times, before making its way to Ikaría, where it grew well in the island’s wet ravines. Rich in vitamins, it is one of the secrets behind the Ikaría’s famous longevity, and one of the things people ate to survive during the famine times of the Second World War.

Today it’s still relatively easy to find on Cyprus where it’s used like a potato; the classic dish is κολοκάσσι με χοιρινό (kolokássi me choirinó), pork stewed with taro, celery, onion, garlic and tomatoes. It’s less cultivated on Ikaría, but still grows wild in wet areas.

Also spelled κολοκάσι