About the Malanga plant

The Malanga (Xanthosoma) plant, also known as Melanga, Otoy, Otoe, New Cocoyam, Tannia, Tannier, Yautia, Macabo, Taioba, Dasheen, Quequisque, or Singapore Taro, is a popular cuisine in many countries around the world. This plant has soft, arrow-shaped leaves up to 60 centimeters (24 inches) long. The large leaves sprout from an underground stem. The tuber (root) can be of considerable size with some weighing from 1/2 to 2 pounds. The root is covered with shaggy, brown skin. Its flesh can be yellow, beige, or pink.

The Malanga is closely related to Taro (Colocasia) which is also edible. However, some “elephant ear” plants are only edible after cooking to dissolve “prickly stems”.

Where to find the Malanga plant

This plant grows widely in the Caribbean region. Look for it in open, sunny fields.

Edible Parts of the Malanga plant

The tubers are rich in starch. Remove the leaves and lift the cormels from the soil. The root has a tough brown and shaggy patch thin skin on the outside and reddish, beige, or yellowish flesh on the inside. Some are long while others are curvy. Clean and cook them before eating to destroy a poison contained in all parts of the plant. They have a nutritional value comparable to a potato but are easier to digest. Malanga is very high in calories and a good source of riboflavin and thiamine. The taste is similar to a potato.

A secondary use is consumption of the young leaves, similar to spinach.