looks simply amazing :)

Thanks! I wish you can try it!

me too :( hehe send me some! Maybe some of the asian places in my area have it.

I don't know about MD, but Asian supermarkets in CA sell taro chunks at the frozen section and I used to get them when my friends and I make hot pot at home.

what is usually inside mashed taro?

Taro is a kind of root I think. I don't think it's used much in Western cuisines. It's usually light purple in color and it has a mushy texture to it after it's cooked, quite similar to potatoes and sweet potatoes. (FMI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taro.) I think when most people say "Deep Fried Taro," they are referring to the savory dim-sum dish. But the dish I have here is a dessert: sweeten mashed up taro rolled into a ball with a little bit of mashed dates (the fruit) in the middle (see other picture), dipped in a light batter and deep fried. It was delicious.

Ah thank you for such a great description! Yea, I haven't seen this in Western cuisines. I will have to be on a look out for it in Asian restaurants. Is it similar to Beet Root?

Nonono, it's nothing like beets. It has the same texture as potatoes and, as I recall, beets have a jelly-like/crispy-crunchy fruit texture. It's a versatile ingredient as it can be used in desserts (like this) or in savory dishes. You can eat them in chunks or mashed them up and use them as a filing for something else.