Asian Influences on African and African Diaspora Foodways

Above, Taro, which is a root plant originally from Asia that looks allot like white sweet potatoes and or cassava
Sweet Taro Pie, recipe below

Starting a new series today on Asian Influences on African and African Diaspora Foodways. During the early Christian period, Indonesian and Portuguese traders traveling across the Indian Ocean introduced Asian plants such as long grain rice, bananas, plantains, yams, eggplant, okra (which I originally thought was indigenous to Africa) and taro or cocoyam from South East Asia to North Africa. North African traders then carried Asian plants across the Sahara to West Africans. Soon after their arrival West Africans began making extensive use of them principally in the equatorial forest regions. The Portuguese also introduced Asian fruits such as mangoes, bread fruit, oranges, lemons, and limes to meet the fresh food demands in their new settlements in West Africa as well as for long sea voyages. Asian plants soon became part of local foodways in West and Central Africa. Here is an interesting recipe for a taro sweet pie that it seems like folks who love soul food would enjoy. Taro is increasing available in metropolitan grocery stories and markets.

Sweet taro pie recipe
Ingredients:
1 ¾ cups taro (cooked, grated or mashed)
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 whole egg substitutes or whole eggs
1 ½ cups vanilla soy milk
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp vanilla

Method
Mix all ingredients together and blend well. Pour into unbaked pastry shell. You can bake it with or without a top crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Related pie recipe link with crust recipe: http://www.filipinodesserts.net/philippines/taro-pie-recipe