This well-known tuber has a long history in our country. Originally grown in Southeast Asia for over 6,000 years, it was introduced to Southern Africa by Portuguese traders around the 1500s. A lover of wetlands, you can find amadumbe growing along wetlands in Kwa-Zulu Natal, but also in many local grocery stores from Woolworths to Checkers, too.
We touch on what makes this root vegetable wonderful to eat and share a recipe for creamy mash with it, just in time for cool, cosy autumn evenings.
Amadumbe
Also known as the “potato of the tropics”, mufhongwe, taro or dasheen, amadumbe is one of the most important root vegetable food crops in the world. For good reason. The entirety of this vegetable can be used: the roots or corms have a tough brown skin that is usually discarded, but the earthy, starchy flesh is usually boiled, roasted, steamed, baked, grated and mashed, the leaves and sometimes even stems can be boiled like spinach, and even their flowers, called ‘aroids’, are processed into flour to prepare ‘fufu’ (a popular Nigerian stew).
Health benefits
Amadumbes are packed full of nutrients, with a catch. Although the whole plant can be eaten, all parts must be cooked first, as it contains a toxic chemical called calcium oxalate, which can irritate the mouth and throat if not properly cooked. When fully cooked, enjoy a hearty helping of:
- Protein (around 9% versus the 1.9% in potatoes and 1.7% in sweet potatoes)
- High fibre
- Manganese
- Potassium
- Vitamins C, E and B6
- Low-GI carbohydrates
- Prebiotics
Its high protein and fibre, low sugar content make this starchy vegetable a great meal-time food as it can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, and improve your gut health and weight management.
How to make creamy amadumbe mash
Just like the humble potato, the secret to a creamy mash is perfectly boiled roots and a little bit of science. Adding warm cream and cold butter alternately into hot, steamy mashed root is what helps get that smooth, ultra-creamy feel to any mash. Here’s how:
Ingredients
1 kg amadumbes
100 ml cream
50 – 100 g cubed, cold butter, cubed
Salt and pepper
Optional: minced garlic, herbs like parsley, cheese of your choice
Method
- Boil the amadumbes whole in salted water until soft (about 30 to 40 minutes).
- Drain and peel the skin.
- Mash with a handheld masher or potato press in a saucepan on low-medium heat.
- Fold in (with a spatula or wooden spoon) 50 ml warm cream.
- Add in 3 to 4 cubes of cold butter, continuously stirring until combined.
- Add in the rest of the cream, followed by the butter.
- If you’d like to add more butter or cream for a thinner, creamier texture.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- You can add in minced garlic, herbs and cheese for extra flavour.
- Serve hot.
