2012 Breadfruit Festival Goes Bananas - Waipi’o ‘Ulu Ho’i’o Pupu

 

The breadfruit is a beautiful tropical, evergreen tree which has been feeding Pacific islanders for over 2000 years.  The tree belongs in the Moraceae family, 

and there are hundreds of varieties.  At this time in Hawai'i the best known are the Artocarpus altilis, which were brought over from the Society Islands sometime around the 1300s or even earlier; one variety is commonly called Hawaiian 'ulu or Hawaiian breadfruit, and the other is the Ma'afala which originated in Samoa.

 

Like other members of the Moraceae family, such as the fig and the mulberry, all parts of the tree contain a sticky white sap that is hard to get rid of when working with the fresh fruit.  When picking, it is best to lay the fruit on the ground first, stem side down, and let the zap run out before attempting to cut or peel it.

 

Each tree can produce upwards of 200 fruit so it is convenient that the fruit, either green or ripe, can be peeled, cored, stored in freezer bags and easily frozen for up to six months; perfect to be used when the fruit is not in season. 

 

The most popular ways of cooking it are roasted, steamed, baked, boiled or fried and can be used in any recipe in which you would use a potato, sweet potato or yam.  It can also be dehydrated and made into a gluten-free flour.

 

A variety of dishes using breadfruit were entered in the Cooking Contest during the recently held Breadfruit Fest on Saturday, September 29th at the Amy B. H. Greenwell Garden in Captain Cook on the Island of Hawai'i (the Big Island)

 

First Place Winner in the Appetizer Category was Waipi’o ‘Ulu Ho’i’o Pupu - by Jim Cain of Honoka’a and Waipi'o Valley. 

Waipi’o ‘Ulu Ho’i’o Pupu 

1 firm 'ulu

3 pounds ho'i'o

2 pounds tomatoes

1 medium onion

6 cloves garlic

1/8 cup grated ginger

 

Sauce:

Shoyu

Patis

Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Sesame oil

Black pepper

Sesame seeds

Lemon juice

 

Peel and steam 'ulu and cube.  Chop and blanch ho'i'o and run under cold water to cool.  Slice tomatoes and onions and chop the garlic fine. 

 

Add sauce ingredients together and then mix well.  Put in fridge to cool,

Enjoy as pupu.

 

Yield: 20 servings

 

Note: The recipe did not show amount of ingredients for the sauce.  Use your own taste and discretion while adding and mixing.

 

GLOSSARY:

  

Waipi'o: A valley rich with history on the northern section of the Island of Hawai'i (the Big Island)

'ulu - Hawaiian word for breadfruit

ho'i'o - edible fiddlehead fern or fernbracken aka called pohole (Maui) or warabi by the Japanese.

shoyu - local word for soy sauce

patis - a type of fish sauce used widely in Filipino cuisine

pupu - appetizer

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Breadfruit Festival Goes Bananas is a project of Ho'oulu ka 'Ulu and is presented by Hawai'i Homegrown Food Network, the Breadfruit Institute of the National Tropical Botanical Garden and Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden. The Breadfruit Festival Goes Bananas is sponsored by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s Kūkulu Ola—Living Hawaiian Culture Program administered by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Kamehameha Schools, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawai'i Community Foundation—Doc Buyers Fund, Kamehameha Investment Corporation, Ke Ola Magazine, Ho‘oulu Lāhui, Kua O Ka Lā Public Charter School, West Hawai‘i Community College Culinary Arts Program, and Big Island Resource Conservation and Development.

For more information, please visit www.breadfruit.info

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2012 Breadfruit Festival Goes Bananas - 'Ulu Banana Fruit Tarts w/ Mango & Ohelo Berries

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2012 Breadfruit Festival Goes Bananas - 'Ulu (Breadfruit) Gnocchi with Hamakua Mushroom Ragout

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2012 Breadfruit Festival Goes Bananas - 'Ulu Banana Crepes w/'Ulu Chunky Monkey Ice Cream