Taro Fish Wrapped in Nori: A Chinese Vegetarian Recipe Using Taro and Seaweed

Taro fish is a vegetarian Chinese-style recipe made from steamed taro and nori sheets. The taro is mashed, shaped, and wrapped to look like a fish. A quick stir-fry of green pepper, ginger, spring onions, preserved black beans, and Shaoxing rice wine is poured on top. It serves 4 and takes about 20 minutes.

Plan for 20 minutes from start to finish. This recipe serves 4 people as a shared platter. It suits a mid-level cook because shaping the taro and wrapping it neatly needs care. Keep the work area dry and clean, since nori softens fast once it touches moisture.

Use fresh taro root and good-quality nori sheets for the best shape. Preserved black beans add a salty taste, so keep the amount small. Shaoxing rice wine gives a mild flavour to the sauce. If your stock powder is salty, taste the mash before you add more seasoning.

• Taro root (peeled): 350 g (about 1 small taro)
• Nori sheets: 2 sheets
• Preserved black beans: 1 tsp (about 5 g)
• Ginger: 1 piece, 5 cm (2 inch), about 12 g
• Green pepper (capsicum): 1 medium, about 150 g
• Spring onions: 2, about 30 g
• Vegetable stock powder: 1 tsp (about 4 g)
• Shaoxing rice wine: 2 tbsp (30 ml)
• Vegetable oil: 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml)
• Water (for soaking beans): 2 tbsp (30 ml)

Equipment

Choose a steamer that fits your taro pieces in a single layer, so they cook evenly. Use a sharp knife for clean cuts in the wrapped roll. Keep a small bowl ready for soaking the black beans. A wide frying pan helps the pepper and spring onions cook fast without turning soggy.

• Knife and chopping board
• Vegetable peeler
• Steamer basket and pot (or an idli steamer)
• Mixing bowl
• Fork or potato masher
• Small bowl (for soaking beans)
• Frying pan or wok
• Spatula
• Serving platter

Prepare the taro

Peel the taro and chop it into 2.5 cm (1 inch) chunks. Steam the pieces until soft all the way through. This usually takes about 10 minutes, but it can vary by size. When done, the taro should crush easily with a fork, with no firm centre left.

Soak the black beans and slice the vegetables

While the taro steams, soak the preserved black beans in a little water. This helps loosen them and spreads their flavour through the sauce. Slice the green pepper, ginger, and spring onions into thin strips. Keep the slices similar in size so they stir-fry in the same time.

Mash and season the taro

Transfer the hot taro to a bowl and mash it until smooth. Add the vegetable stock powder and mash again so it mixes well. The mash should hold together like a soft dough. If it feels too dry, let it sit for a minute, since steam trapped inside often softens it more.

Join and roll the nori sheets

Place the two nori sheets on a clean surface. Moisten one edge of a sheet with a little water, then overlap and press to join them. Place the mashed taro mixture in the centre. Roll the nori over the taro to form a thick roll, like a fish body.

Shape the "fish" and prepare for sauce

Use scissors or a knife to cut the nori at one end so it resembles fins. Move the roll to a platter with the seam side down. Make shallow cuts halfway through the roll at about 2.5 cm (1 inch) intervals. These cuts help the sauce settle and add flavour to each slice.

Stir-fry the topping and finish the sauce

Heat the vegetable oil in a pan. Add the sliced green pepper, ginger, and spring onions. Stir-fry for a few minutes, keeping the heat medium-high so the vegetables stay crisp. Add the Shaoxing rice wine and the soaked black beans, along with the soaking water, and mix well.

Pour, rest, and serve

Spoon the hot sauce over the taro fish, letting it run into the cuts. Serve on a platter while warm. This dish is often shared, so slice along the cut marks for neat pieces. It pairs well with plain rice, since the nori and black beans already bring a salty taste.

Nutritional values (approximate, per serving)

Values vary by brand of stock powder, nori, and black beans, and by how much oil stays in the pan. These figures are estimates for one-fourth of the platter.

Store leftovers in a covered box in the fridge and eat within 1 day. Reheat by steaming for a few minutes, or warm in a pan with a splash of water, so the taro stays soft. Add the sauce after reheating if you want the nori to keep a firmer bite.