46 
BULLETIN 6 0, HAWAII EXPERIMENT STATION 
fry. Then add the arrowhead and stir vigorously for one minute. 
Add just enough water for gravy and cook over a slow fire until the 
Season and serve. 
vegetable is tender. 
Aeeowroot (Maranta arundinacea) . (Fig. 42) 
Chinese name : Chok-woo 
Shape: Fleshy, elongated rhizome with enlarged growing end; tapering 
toward basal end. Conspicuously crossed by encircling lines. 
Size: Four to eight inches long; 1 to l 1 /^ inches at the thick end. 
Color: Ivory skin; white flesh. 
Arrowroot is a perennial of South American origin and grows 2 
to 3 feet high. The rhizome is very smooth, more or less covered 
with dry, scaly leaves at the time of harvest. Gardeners usually 
grow arrowroot for the production of starch for home consumption. 
Figure 41. — Arrowhead conns 
It is seldom found on the market because the demand for it is 
limited. Only young arrowroot which is not suitable for starch 
extraction finds its way to the market. The roots or rhizomes are 
washed and then boiled in salted water until they are tender. Arrow- 
root is prepared for the table like the sweetpotato. 
Chinese Taro (Colocasia esculenta) . (Fig. 43) 
Chinese name: Bun-long-woo 
Shape: Corms, cylindrical, more or less tapering at basal end. 
Size: Four to twelve inches in length ; 3 to 6 inches in diameter ; weight, 1 
to 12 pounds. 
Color: Skin, brown to gray, coarse, with or without dark, loose fiber. Flesh, 
white, with conspicuous coarse fiber distributed through interior of corm. 
The Chinese taro is like the common Hawaiian varieties in shape, 
color, and texture. It is, however, much larger and possesses a dis- 
