When I was in Japan, among a number of various starchy items, most of
which were made from tubers called "potatoes" of various types, i.e.,
types of '-imo', was one called 'konnyaku'. (The word 'imo' probably
really means "edible tuber", but is most often heard at the end of
'jagaimo' which is what we call potato.) This was made from the
"root" of what I later found out was Amorphophallus konjac, which
makes sense. I found it a very unpleasant form of starch; the texture
and gooeyness of it did not appeal to me at all. It was used in a
type of noodle and in a jelly-like food substance. It was very common.
I'm sure you can learn more by typing 'konnyaku' into your favorite
search engine.
--Lee Poulsen
Pasadena, California, USA, USDA Zone 10a
On Aug 27, 2005, at 6:10 AM, Jim McKenney wrote:
> How is this related to the PBS list? Well, I've known for decades that
> various Amorphophallus were used as vegetables. But I have never
> seen a
> specific use mentioned. Cost seems to mention one; there is a Japanese
> preparation he mentions under the name shiratake. Here's what he says:
> "Other Japanese noodles include.shiratake ("white waterfall"), made
> from the
> starch of a plant called "devil's tongue"." Curiously, in this
> instance a
> scientific name is not given, and I'm assuming that the "devil's
> tongue" in
> question is Amorphophallus
>
> Does anyone else know of any specific culinary uses of these plants?