Green Papaya Lockdown Salad

Originally Posted 10 July 2021 

When I first got out to the farm and things were shutting down left and right around us because of Covid precautions I had trouble getting some basic items in Rakiraki. Eggs were from Volivoli peninsula, which was a containment zone, so there were none in the market. Things like yogurt and cheese came from Suva and in the first few days after the containment area was established cargo didn't always make it through the borders. I remember walking the farm looking at every tree and plant to see if it could provide our necessary calories. I had such a feeling of relief looking at the papaya trees, even though the fruits were green, I knew this was one option open to us in the days ahead. I like it all the time, it's not a lockdown-only option at our table.   

Green Papaya Salad 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, peeled
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon dry-roasted salted peanuts, more for garnish
• 2 fresh bird chilies or serrano chilies, sliced
• ½ teaspoon raw sugar or white sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried shrimp (optional)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla), to taste
• 2 plum tomatoes, 1 large round tomato, or 8 grape tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• ½ pound long beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths (optional)
• 1 small to medium green (unripe) papaya (see Note)
• Lettuce for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a blender or mortar, blend or pound garlic, salt, peanuts, chilies, sugar and shrimp (if using) into a paste. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in lime juice and fish sauce. Use a spoon (or the mortar) to lightly crush tomatoes and beans (if using), then add to bowl and mix lightly.
2. Peel and coarsely grate or shred papaya, discarding seeds and inner membrane. There should be 4 to 6 cups.
3. Add papaya to bowl and lightly but thoroughly toss together. Taste for seasoning. Mound in a bowl (if desired, line bowl with lettuce leaves beforehand). Sprinkle with peanuts and serve.

Tip - If green papaya is unavailable, use an equivalent amount of coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots).

What's your go-to food when options are limited?

Broiled Carambola (Star Fruit) and Date Salad

Originally posted 9 July 2021 

Friday. Today's recipe is from RPCV Judy, she and John grow the most amazing star fruit. I love the way they look and taste in green papaya salad or sangria or eaten out of hand, but today my love rose to new levels when I tasted a broiled starfruit. If you have to substitute for the starfruit you could try white seedless grapes sliced in half. 

Broiled Carambola (Star Fruit) and Date Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ripe sweet carambola (starfruit), cut into 1/8 inch slices and deseeded, about 500g
• 3 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 8 dates, whole, pitted, cut into quarters
• 1 cup raw cashews
• pinch of saffron, snip and mix with lime juice
• 1 bunch arugula (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to broil on 500 F/260C
2. Toss together carambola, lime juice and saffron, honey, dates, and cashews.  Place mixture in a shallow ceramic baking dish.  
3. Place on top rack of oven for 5 minutes or until the carambola edges and cashews just become golden brown.  You should see some juices on the bottom of the pan.  
4. Remove from oven and let cool.  
5. Portion out arugula onto 4 salad plates and top with cooled carambola salad.

My oh-crap-we-need-to-feed-people go to salad

 My oh-crap-we-need-to-feed-people go to salad

• 2 cans different beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained
• Salt and Pepper
• Olive Oil Vinaigrette 

1. Mix and serve

Planned Version of the Same Salad 

• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained 
• 1 can whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained 
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup olive oil 
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced 
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced 
• 1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped. 

1. Add the solid ingredients in a large bowl, gently toss to mix. 
2. In a separate container mix the vinegar, oil, and herbs. 
3. Mix thoroughly and then pour over the salad, toss gently to mix.  

I'd love to hear how this turns out for you!

Gluten Free Chocolate Quinoa Cake

Originally posted 7 July 2021 

Definitely needing a distraction from the 791 new Covid cases today. Instead of what's happening in Fiji, let me tell you about this flourless chocolate cake we made with quinoa. Baking is a dark art, while I don't mess with the recipes the way I do with the stove top stuff, I did add a teaspoon of instant coffee to this. It came out oh so good, and I think I need to make it again soon. 

Prep: 15 mins Cook: 40 mins Additional: 30 mins Total: 1 hr 25 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups cold cooked quinoa (1 cup quinoa, 2 cups water)
• ¾ cup melted butter
• 4 eggs
• ⅓ cup milk
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup chopped pecans (Optional)
• 1 tsp instant coffee 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a rectangular 9x13 cake pan.
2. Blend quinoa, butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract together in a blender until smooth. Seriously, blend that quinoa until it's smooth as can be. 
3. Combine dry ingredients sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir blended quinoa mixture into sugar mixture until batter is well combined. Fold chocolate chips and pecans into batter; pour into the prepared pan.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool cake on a wire rack.

One Pot Chickpea and Pumpkin Pasta

Another vegan recipe until the end where we topped it with cheese. Dessert was banana pudding from Judy's 4th of July care package, thank you Judy for sharing this taste of home with us 

One Pot Chickpea and Pumpkin Pasta

Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 45 mins Yield: 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup dried chickpeas (soak the night before)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 3/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 chili pepper, finely diced
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• Stock powder 
• 4 1/2 cups of water
• 2 cups pumpkin, diced
• Salt to taste
• 250g pasta 
• 4 cups packed baby spinach
• Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
• Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Toast spices, saute onions, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil.
2. Add the tomatoes, water, and stock powder and pressure cook chickpeas for 20 minutes.
3. Bring pressure down, add salt, pasta and pumpkin, water if needed, boil for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente and the pumpkin is soft.
4. Remove from heat and add the spinach, toss to wilt the greens and serve with a garnish of parsley and parmesan cheese.

Amy's Peanut Soup Recipe

Monday's vegan dinner hit the spot. It's adapted from a recipe my friend Amy sent me. Most of the adaptations are marked with *s, but I might have missed marking some of the changes I made between her original and my bastardized version. We followed it with starfruit bread from Mango Hill farm that was packed full of butter and eggs and yogurt and decidedly not vegan. 

Amy's Peanut Soup Recipe

45 minutes plus prep

INGREDIENTS

• 1 red bell pepper (capsicum) chopped (125 grams)
• 2 yellow onions, finely chopped
• pinch of salt
• neutral oil
• 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1 Tablespoon crushed garlic
• 1 Tablespoon cumin/jeera
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• *250 g mushrooms, roughly diced
• *Eggplant, roughly diced
• 1/2 pumpkin peeled & cubed
• 1 can diced tomatoes 
• 4 cups hot water
• 4 tsp stock powder
• 3/4 cup peanut butter, any variety (180g) 
• 500 g greens (seijan, bhaji, moringa, malabar)
• Chilies, jalapenos, sambal or sriracha sauce to your heat preference
• *1/3 cup Cilantro
• *2 Tbsp lemon juice
• * Cooked rice or quinoa for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in the bottom of a soup pot and sauté the red bell pepper (capsicum) and onions with a pinch of salt until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. 
2. Add ginger, garlic and cumin/jeera, eggplant and mushrooms and sauté for another 2 minutes or until fragrant. 
3. Add pumpkin cubes and stir to combine, then add the tomatoes with their juices and the stock powder + water. Simmer gently until the pumpkin pieces are tender, about 15 minutes. 
4. Place peanut butter in a medium bowl, add one or two ladles of hot soup and stir until emulsified, then pour the mixture back into the soup. Reduce heat to low and stir gently to combine.
5. Toss in the greens and the chilies. Cook on low to wilt the greens, maybe 5 minutes, stir frequently to prevent scorching. 
6. Turn off heat and stir in the lemon juice, garnish with cilantro and chopped peanuts. Serve over rice or quinoa. 

Serves 4 to 6.

Serving suggestions - over rice, with sourdough bread

Eggy Risotto

My mushroom needs are usually well met between Majestic Mushrooms in Pacific Harbor and Mama's Mushrooms in Ba, but I hit a dry spot for a long while. Thankfully I got topped up in June, was able to use those amazing mushrooms in this dish a little while back

Eggy Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

• 4 cups hot stock (I use boiling water from the kettle and bouillon powder)
• *I'm able to cook in nonstick pans, so I use way less oil/butter than this, but I'm not sure how much I use
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 onions, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely fixed
• *1 cup chopped bell pepper 
• *2 cups mushrooms, roughly chopped
• Red pepper flakes (I used chili peppers instead)
• Leaves from 5 to 6 sprigs of thyme (didn't use)
• *chopped basil, parsley
• salt
• 1 cup risotto rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or nutritional yeast if you've got it)
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten (I used 4, shh!)

add in ideas for risottos in general: beans, mushrooms, herbs, bacon, sliced meats, cook an egg on top at the end, add egg yolks at end, cheese, tomato, corn, basil, bell peppers, spinach, cooked pumpkin, eggplant

Directions

1. Heat the stock in a large pot with an 8-ounce ladle. (Turn the kettle on)
2. In a 4-quart pot, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter (I didn't use anywhere near this much oil) over medium heat. Add the capsicum and onion and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about a minute.  Add garlic, chilis to taste, mushrooms, and a pinch of salt, turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very tender, about 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat if the garlic starts to brown. Remove veggies to a bowl and keep warm. 
3. Add the rice and 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pot, stirring for about 3 minutes to toast the rice lightly. Increase the heat to medium, add the wine and cook until most of the wine is gone but the bottom of the pot is not dry. Add the cooked veggies back to the pot. Add sufficient bouillon powder for four cups of liquid, then add 1 cup of the hot water from the kettle and cook, stirring, until the liquid has been absorbed and evaporated. Add another cup water and increase the heat so that there is a fair amount of bubbles on the surface and cook until the liquid is once again absorbed (this agitation helps release the starch as the rice cooks). Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and another cup or so of water and continue to cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed into the rice, adding more water as needed and stirring. To see if it's time to add more liquid, drag the spoon through the rice; if the liquid doesn't immediately fill in the space, it's time to add more. Continue to cook, adding liquid as necessary, until the risotto looks creamy but the rice is still al dente, about 18 minutes. If using fresh chopped spinach, add at this point and stir in just until wilted.
4. Take the risotto off the heat. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the cheese and stir well. At this point, you can add the egg yolks and stir them in until well combined. Serve immediately.

adapted from https://www.foodnetwork.com/fnk/recipes/risotto-with-egg-and-parmigiano-8041871