The Revitalization of Breadfruit

By Sonia R. Martinez

The Hamakua Times - Monday, January 30th, 2012

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Although the early Hawaiians honored the breadfruit as a tree that gave and maintained life, the use of breadfruit sort of lost favor through the years, losing ground to rice and potatoes as the new wave of immigrants arrived to our shores.

Today, the movement to revitalize the breadfruit is gaining momentum as we saw this past September when the Ho’oulu Ka ‘Ulu Festival was celebrated in Kona. An estimated 1,700 people attended the fall event.

Now is the turn for the East side of the island to embrace this delicious staple and join in the celebration of all things ‘ulu at the Kua O Ka La Charter School campus in Kapoho. The festival is cosponsored by the Breadfruit Institute and the Hawai’i HomeGrown Food Network Ho’oulu Ka ‘Ulu.

Saturday, March 3rd will see the breadfruit take center stage again with workshops on propagation, planting and caring of the trees; demonstrations on pounding ‘ulu poi as well as on how to make the poi pounding boards and cooking demonstrations by island chefs. ‘Ulu trees will be available for sale as well as many ‘ulu related items and copies of the school’s brand new cookbook will be sold to the public for the first time.

Again, the centerpiece of the event will be a cooking contest where contestants will vie for prizes in three categories; appetizers, entrée and desserts. In addition, a Best of Show and Healthiest Choice will be selected from the first place winners in each category.

In mid-January, members of the different committees and volunteers were treated to lunch at the Kua O Ka La Charter School campus in Kapoho, the host for the Spring Festival. The lunch, dubbed a “Triple ‘Ulu Menu” since every dish prepared showcased the breadfruit, was prepared by the school’s culinary instructor, Mariposa Blanco and members of her Aina Life class. Every ingredient used in every dish was island grown or sourced.

Huge salad bowls containing breadfruit, yacón, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, a mixture of garden greens and cilantro was simply dressed with Meyer lemon juice and Hawaiian Alaeà sea salt.

There were two versions of stew, one with meat and one without. Breadfruit, carrots, tomatoes, fennel and bunches of kale were cooked with simple seasonings in a delicious broth. This recipe is in their cookbook.

Boo Boo’s Ulu Beef Stew
15 servings

3 medium sized ‘ulu
2 pounds stewing beef
Mac nut oil
1/4 pound olena (turmeric root)
1/4 pound ginger root
2 fennel roots
2 pounds tomato
1 bunch each basil, parsley and cilantro
2 Maui onions
2 fresh red onions
5 carrots
1 cooking banana (plantain)
1 pound taro, already cooked
2 food sized bunches of green (kale, arugula, Swiss chard)
Sea Salt

First step is to prepare your ulu. Peel, cut and let the ulu sit in a bowl of water with salt. Next prepare the olena and ginger by juicing or grating, set aside. Clean herbs and chop very fine. Chop the rest of your ingredients and set in separate bowls.

In a large stew pot heat some Mac nut oil, when oil is hot add your meat, salt, olena and ginger and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to keep your meat from sticking. Next add your chopped herbs, fennel root; onions, ulu, and tomatoes keep stirring for a few minutes. Add enough water to fill you pot 3/4 of the way. Cook for 1 hour at high heat, keeping a soft boil going. Add water if needed.

After an hour add all the rest of your ingredients except your greens and cook for another 45 minutes. Add more water now if the stew needs it. When the stew is ready turn the heat off and add your chopped greens. This is a hearty and filling soup. In our Aina Life class we always make a vegetarian version, along side our meat or fish dishes. This is a rich and delicious veggie stew that any omnivore would appreciate!

Two pies were also served for dessert; a custard of pureed ‘ulu with cream, sugar, vanilla and egg yolk in a baked raw shredded ‘ulu, macadamia and butter crust and the second filling was made with pureed ‘ulu, coconut milk, banana, vanilla and Maui sugar. Fresh pineapple pieces were served alongside with both.

Pitchers of fresh fruit punch centered the two beautifully set tables for 30 diners. The delicious iced punch was made with the juice of 20 liliko’i, 6 large oranges and one gallon of organic sugar cane juice.

For the last three years, the school has been working on a cookbook and it will be available for sale during the festival. The "Ike Āina: From the Seed to the Table" Cookbook is full of mouth-watering recipes using only locally grown and sourced fresh produce and local foods of our islands.

Cooking Contest information:

There will be three (3) catefories
Appetizer
Main Dish/Entrée
Dessert

You may enter only one (1) recipe per category.
Please note that breadfruit must be the MAIN ingredient.

Recipes must be neatly typed listing all ingredients and the method of preparation. Use recipe form attached. If you’re entering more than one recipe please run copies and use one per recipe.

Entrant must put their name and contact information at the top on the front of the recipe page(s). A number will be assigned to each recipe when entry forms and recipes are received by the cooking contest committee.

*) Dish must be dropped off at the contest site between 8 am – 10 am on the morning of the event. Any entries brought after 10 am will not be accepted. Each contestant should have their name and cell phone number taped to the bottom of each dish.

Judging will be held from 11 am to 12 noon. Entrants will not be allowed in cooking contest tent during judging. Winners will be announced at 12:30 pm.

It is the entrants’ responsibility to pick up his/her property by 1:00 pm; ie: empty dishes, serving utensils and any props brought. Kua O Ka La School and contest sponsors can not be held responsible for any losses resulting by forgetting to pick up your property.

Entries must be brought two ways: a plated 10” to 12” dish for presentation and judges to taste and a larger dish or platter (approximately 9x13 sizes) with enough food for general public tastings. You must bring your own serving utensils; one per dish entered.

JUDGING – Each dish will be judged for:
Best use of breadfruit
Taste
Appearance/Presentation
Originality
Healthy ingredients

PRIZES:
First, Second and Third prizes in each category
One entry will be selected for ‘Best of Show’
One entry will be selected for ‘Healthiest Choice’


Kua O Ka La location: Take Rte 130 to Pahoa. Turn left at traffic signal to Rte 132. Bear left at fork just after Lava Tree State Park. Turn right at four corners to Rte 137. Next to Ahalanui Hot Pond Park in the site of the old Village of Pu'ala'a. Contest location and drop off on Makai side of road. Look for Contest Entry Drop-Off location. You must also drop off your completed Contest Entry Form and a Recipe Form per each dish entered. You must bring a serving utensil per entry.

All of the entry forms will be available for downloading at the Kua O Ka La website and at Breadfruit.info.

See you at the ‘Ulu Festival!
A hui hou

Sonia

Tables were set al fresco on the school grounds - the tables were covered with cloths printed in a breadfruit leaf and fruit pattern.