Chasha Root

Chasha is a starchy root grown for food, and is the primary agricultural output of Xfirey farming regionX. It looks like a cross between taro and potato, but has a high gluten content which allows it to be made into a stretchy paste much like mochi.
Chasha, or chasha root, is an annual plant requiring yearly reseeding from "eyes" of the root. It requires neutral to slightly alkaline soil and full sunlight to grow properly, and matures relatively late in the growing season. In XX, the predominance of chokevine adds a layer of complexity to chasha root farming, as the fast-growing vine not only outcompetes chasha root by shadowing it, but also by making the soil slightly acidic. XX farmers intentionally seed chasha fields with similarly invasive thellgrass, then ignite the thellgrass in early summer to burn both it and the chokevine away. The ash from the fires helps neutralize the soil, allowing the chasha root to grow. After it begins growing, the chasha quickly spreads large, glossy, dark green leaves, which sufficiently block the sunlight to prevent chokevine from growing until after it is harvested.