Vegetables
Taro
Taro is a whole corm commonly showing brown fibrous ringed skin and pale cut flesh with fine purple flecks.
- 繁體中文
- 芋頭
- English
- Taro
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Talas
- Tagalog
- Gabi
What is it?
Taro is a whole corm commonly showing brown fibrous ringed skin and pale cut flesh with fine purple flecks. This page follows the authoritative HK-market name and identification scope.
How to identify it
Look for brown fibrous skin, ring marks and pale flesh with fine purple flecks; size is not a reliable identity rule.
- brown fibrous outer skin
- ring marks around the corm
- pale cut flesh may carry fine purple flecks
Common confusion
Sweet potato usually has smoother skin and lacks taro’s fine purple-flecked cut surface; potato lacks the same fibrous rings.
Common Hong Kong household uses
Use Taro only where the recipe names it, following the stated amount and cooking method.
Preparation or handling
Wash thoroughly under clean running water immediately before preparation; CFS does not recommend soap or produce wash.
Storage
Follow CFS vegetable-storage guidance and purchase directions; if washed before storage, dry thoroughly first.
Helper tip
Sweet potato usually has smoother skin and lacks taro’s fine purple-flecked cut surface; potato lacks the same fibrous rings.
What Ma’am or Sir may say
買芋頭。The employer is asking you to buy Taro; check the market sign or original package.
Useful market phrase
我想買芋頭。Does the image look correct?
Last reviewed
Sources
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Public Market Items Multilingual Booklet
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Public Market Items - Gourds
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Gourds and other vegetables Cantonese pinyin
- Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety — Safe and Fresh: Practical Tips for Storing Vegetables
- Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety — Pesticide Residues in Food - Frequently Asked Questions