Ruminations on Roots

We here in America have deep roots which extend all over the world; we have brought our roots with us and transplanted them in the fertile soil of the west, and continue to explore them.  It is perhaps symbolic that some of the best expressions of our diverse culinary heritage are expressed through root vegetables.  While potatoes, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, and onions form the basis of most of our western cooking, there are numerous other root vegetables used throughout the world in cooking and in other ways.

Among world cultures, the Trobrianders of Papua-New Guinea have one of the most unusual uses for roots.  Yams form the basis of the economy of these tribes, and the main goal of every Trobriander family is to produce as many yams as possible.  They store them in “yam houses,” and put simply, the man with the most yams is the richest in the village.  Yam houses function as bank accounts, and yams are offered in payment for dowries.  Of course, they are also eaten, but interestingly enough, after harvest, Trobriander villagers avoid eating them as daily food.  There is a complex intertribal system of barter with yams at its base.

Roots are also used as currency elsewhere in the world, but most cultures cultivate roots primarily as staples, as they are good sources of carbohydrates and store well for months.  Nearly 10% of the world use taro root as a staple in their diet.  Following is a mini “primer” of root vegetables and their uses around the globe:

Taro
This potato-like tuber grows readily in the tropics.  The underground stem, or corm, is the main part which is consumed, although the leaves can also be eaten.  In Hawaii , poi is a traditional food accompanying most meals.  To make poi, taro root is pounded, dried, moistened with water, and fermented.  Taro is often referred to as the “potato of the tropics.”

Lotus root
In East Asia , the lotus root is used as food, but also has important symbolic value:  Long associated with Buddhism, the lotus flower is supported by a series of long, bulbous rhizomes which grow beneath the surface of the water.  The root has a unique system of hollow chambers which give lotus root its distinctive and hauntingly beautiful design, resembling a flower.  In Japan , where it is known as renkon, lotus root is quite crunchy and can be eaten raw, although in this form it has little flavor.  The roots are often sliced and cooked, used in tempura, simmered in stews and soups, or cooked with vinegar, which helps to bring out its natural sweetness.

Daikon
This long, white, heavy radish figures prominently in the cuisine of East Asia, particularly Japan , where it is eaten in raw, grated, and pickled forms, and in Thailand , where it is often cooked.  Daikon, or mooli, as it is known in India , is one of the oldest known vegetables, with recorded use as far back as the 8^th century.  Daikon is widely considered to be valuable for aiding digestion, cooling the body, and improving circulation.  It can be used to tenderize seafood, and it can be slow cooked because it is so fibrous and holds its shape very well.

Satoimo
A small, oval-shaped tuber which resembles a potato or taro root, satoimo is also popular in Japan , although like daikon, it originated in India .  It has a rough, hairy, striped skin which must be removed before cooking.  It has a dense though strangely fluffy texture, which is deeper and richer than that of a potato.  This makes it a great addition to hot pots and winter soups.

Ginger and Other Rhizomes
Galangal, Ginger, Turmeric, and other rhizomes also figure prominently in the cuisines of Asia , where their strong fragrance forms the foundation of many dishes.  These rhizomes all resemble gnarled, knuckly hands, and have thin skins, which can be easily scraped away with a spoon so as not to remove too much of the aromatic flesh.  Ginger plays an important role in many cuisines, not only for its culinary uses, but because it is believed to aid in digestion, warm the body, and even prevent motion sickness.

Galangal is a member of the same family as ginger, but has a harder texture.  Young galangal has a lemony flavor, and flavors many sour soups in Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand and Vietnam .  When it matures, the skin thickens, and the flavor becomes more intense and peppery. Galangal forms the basis of many curry pastes.

Wasabi is a fascinating rhizome, famous for its pungency.  Cultivated in Japan , where it grows naturally in streams of pure water on mountain slopes, it has a refreshing, radishy aroma and a pungent afterkick.  It is often compared to horseradish, although the two are not related.  Even in Japan , however, freshly grated wasabi is not so common; the root is dried and powdered, and most wasabi found in sushi restaurants (especially outside of Japan ) is reconstituted.  In recent years, wasabi has been touted as healthy for the teeth and gums, and drug companies are now trying to develop a not-so-pungent wasabi toothpaste.

Jicama
Jicama, otherwise known as the yam bean, is native to Central America, but has become very popular all over Asia, especially in China and Thailand.  Jicama is the root of a climbing bean plant, and is one of the few root vegetables that is most often eaten raw.  Once peeled, the inner flesh is pale and white, turgid and crunchy.  One of the most common street snacks in Latin America is jicama sprinkled with lime juice and dusted with chile powder or other spices.

Root vegetables have been the backbone of Ashkenazic Jewish tradition for centuries.  The Ashkenazi are Jews who come from all over Eastern Europe, Russia and Germany, where the climate is cold, and root vegetables are the only ones available throughout the long, cold winter.  Root vegetables play a prominent role in the foods of Passover, including tzimmes, a stew of carrots, potatoes, onions and other roots along with dried fruits.  Another traditional Pesach dish is eigenmachts, a sweetmeat preserve made from beets and honey.  During the Pesach seder, the ritual meal of the first night of Passover, maror, or bitter herbs, are eaten to remind Jews of the bitterness of their enslavement.  Horseradish, a rhizome root, is most often used as maror.

In the Americas , yams are also staples, as they are in the tropics of The South Pacific.  As far back as Pre-Columbian times, the indigenous tribes of Mexico and Central America used sweet potatoes in stews and casseroles, and alongside roasted meats.  Because of their high sugar content, yams and other sweet potato tubers caramelize very well, and are used in the Americas in both sweet and savory dishes.

Whether out of practicality, penury, or symbolic celebration, roots are the basis and strength of most world cuisines.  We eat them to anchor us in life, to ground us in our purpose, and to sustain us in hard times.  Carl Jung used the rhizome as a metaphor for life itself:

“Life has always seemed to me like a plant that lives on its rhizome. Its true life is invisible, hidden in the rhizome. The part that appears above the ground lasts only a single summer. Then it withers away — an ephemeral apparition.  When we think of the unending growth and decay of life and civilizations, we cannot escape the impression of absolute nullity. Yet I have never lost the sense of something that lives and endures beneath the eternal flux. What we see is blossom, which passes. The rhizome remains” (Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Prologue).

Perhaps the ancestors who planted our roots believed, as did Jung, that the root is the enduring part of life, and they incorporated it into our diets to remind us who we are, where we came from, and how we will endure.

Mark Tafoya is the chef/owner of ReMARKable Palate Personal Chef Service in New York , NY . His website, food blog, and podcast can be found at www.ReMARKablePalate.com.