Text 16312, 117 rader
Skriven 2008-11-11 20:15:23 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Jim Weller
Ärende: GAR & SARD 81111
========================
 -=> Quoting Jim Weller to Glen Jamieson <=-

 GJ> Think *real* sardines, dusted with a little flour and fried, whole.

 JW> Real fresh or smoked sardines are a rarity here but yes they are
 JW> very good.

For anyone who is prepared to take the trouble to prepare and eat them,
they are worth it.

 JW> Something to make you homesick....

 JW> Title: The Cuisine Of Vanuatu
 JW> Categories: Pacific, Info

 JW> The cuisine of Vanuatu, formerly the New Hebrides, incorporates
 JW> fish, root vegetables such as taro and yams, fruits, and vegetables.
 JW> Papayas, pineapples, mangoes, plantains, and sweet potatoes are
 JW> abundant through much of the year. Coconut milk and cream are used
 JW> to flavor many dishes. Most food is cooked using hot stones or
 JW> through boiling and steaming; very little food is fried.

Most important is "ailan kabis" (bislama spelling of "island cabbage"),
which is a large-leaf, slightly chewy, coarse green, rather like
collards.  It responds very well to cooking with coconut cream and
fishy flavours, (as does collards).

The best vegetable there is the flavoursome yellow breadfruit. Baked,
peeled and sectioned, it makes a magnificent base for serving curry on.

 JW> Demographics: predominately Melanesian. In the late 19th century the
 JW> islands were controlled by the British and French people. Before

It was called the, "Anglo-French Condominium", but usually referred to
by the residents as the "Pandemonium".

 JW> that Vanuatu was under Japanese occupation. The cuisine is a mix of

Errr, the Japanese occupation came *after* the Anglo-French.

 JW> traditional Pacific, Asian and European.

Most of the resort hotels have French-trained chefs who have come up
with some wonderful versions of local produce.  The local beef is top
quality, exported to other Pacific countries.

 JW> Specialties: 

 JW> Coconut crab usually served with garlic, chilli, curry or coconut

The coconut crab is a specific variety of large land crab which can
climb coconut trees, cut down coconuts and split them open with its
huge, powerful claws.  Very tasty, but becoming scarce.

 JW> sauces. Some other local specialties are escargots made with snails,
 JW> natou, rousette, which is a flying fox or fruit bat, mangrove
 JW> oysters and nems.

 JW> One of the most famous dish is called Laplap and is considered to be
 JW> the most representative dish for Vanuatu. Generally it is made by
 JW> pounding yam or taro roots into a paste and after that the whole
 JW> mixture is placed on spinach or taro roots and left to soak in
 JW> coconut milk. Sliced pieces of pork, chicken or fish are added ant
 JW> this mixture is placed on a grill. The preparation methods for this

I used to buy that at the Pt Vila market ready made into parcels
wrapped in taro leaves before steaming.  Really delicious!

 JW> dish vary from one island to another. One other delicacy that can be
 JW> served on any of this country islands is made in a Tahitian way and
 JW> it's called Raw Fish salad or poissin cru. To increase the taste and
 JW> the flavor this dish is garnished with lime juice and coconut milk. 

A Pacific islands standard, known throughout the region.  The lime
juice is essential to "digest" the fish.

 JW> From: Wikipedia

They got it nearly right.  :)

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: AIBIKA - WHAT IS IT?
 Categories: Infos, Vegetables, Png
      Yield: 1 servings
 
           ;
 
  Many recipes in PNG use Aibika, here is an explanation of what Aibika
  is followed by a recipe [SEPIK RIVER PATROL CURRY] using it.
  
  Aibika Hibiscus (Abelmoschus) manihot, Aibika also known as, Bele
  (Fiji) Pele (Polynesia) and Ailan kapis (Vanuatu)
  
  A perennial in the tropics or an annual in cooler climates Aibika
  bears edible leaves on plants reaching about 2 metres (6 feet) in
  height. Pale yellow flowers about 15cm/6" across with dark centres
  make Aibika another attractive background plant. The leaves have a
  high level of leaf protein, iron, potassium, magnesium and calcium.
  They are eaten raw as salad, or mixed with other vegetable in a stew
  or as a cooked green vegetable. Aibika should not be cooked longer
  than 5 minutes and turned only once. The flavour is sweet and
  mucilaginous. Flower buds are consumed either raw or cooked.
  
  If you give aibika a sunny location and moist soil it will be happy.
  As summer heats up, aibika will flourish.
  
  From: <http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/recipe2.html> Snagged by Kevin
  JCJD Symons, 28th January 2007
 
MMMMM
 

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