taloo
the simple root that fuels all of Yatan'aa
The taloo, often simply called 'meat root' or 'blood root', is the most common staple food across all of Yatan'aa. Nutritious, easy to grow, and incredibly versatile, taloo is almost as universal to the Dal Karchuan as Giaan’lun.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Taloo has two basic parts, the stems and leaves above ground, and the edible roots below ground.
The plant itself grows into a small bush no more than a couple of hands tall and wide with small round teal and green leaves at the end of long stems that branch off from a central stalk. The leaves and stalks are theoretically edible, and have been consumed in times of hardship or famine, but are generally bitter and unpleasant. They make excellent fodder for gho and other farm animals however.
Underground grows the truly important part of the plant however. There are some variations on the taloo across Yatan'aa that vary in colour, size and shape, but the most common type is a fist sized round root of a dark red-brown colour. Like the stems and leaves, the skins of the roots is technically edible, but not pleasant. They tend to be chewy, flavourless, and compared occasionally to eating leather.
The bulk of the taloo root however is a relatively soft, dense, texture. They are moist to the point of juiciness (depending on variant), and a deep red in colour. Though starchy and easy to chop and prepare, the taste when cooked is often very meaty and umami. Even the most juicy of variants produce a thick red liquid not unlike human blood.
Genetics and Reproduction
It is a root vegetable bred centuries ago before the deliverance.
When the Chi’yuan were expelled from Landen Village a thousand years ago, they insisted on taking supplies to rebuild a new settlement of their own when they had escaped the reach of the Magsura and the lashaan. While this did not truly occur until the miracle of the deliverance, it meant that the Chi’yuan had a collection of seeds and simple crops they could plant when they established Akhaal.
Amongst those crops, was the hearty 'taters'. This was a bland, starchy root crop that did not grow well in the hot and moist climate around Akhaal but did prove more hearty and versatile than most other plants.
Though it is unknown how, the taters were eventually interbred with a common underground fungus-like plant native to Ashvaarya referred to as 'blood fungus'. The resulting species appeared more like taters, but was much higher in protein, while being lower in starch and carbohydrates. The taste was also more like the fungal side of it's origin, along with inheriting the thick red sap like substance that permeated it.
The new 'blood root' or 'meat root', called 'taloo', also proved to grow far more easily in the south-eastern climate around Akhaal. As centuries passed and humanity spread northward, the taloo went with them and new variants were developed suited to rockier ground, lower temperatures, and other variations throughout what would become the five nations.
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