Buatoro 1 is a traditional I-Kiribati recipe for a classic dessert of taro mashed with boiled palm sap and coconut milk that's baked in banana leaf before serving. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic I-Kiribati version of: Buatoro 1.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
Buatoro is a typical dessert from Kiribati, it can also be a side dish or a starter. As in many Oceanian dishes this is cooked in banan, taro or breadfruit tree leaves used as a wrapper.
In kiribati Kamaimai is used to sweeten this dish, kamaimai is palm sap cooked until it becomes dark, thick and sweet, there is a similar product in Canary Islands called palm honey which you can use as a substitute; otherwise I would suggest molasses.
Ingredients:
930g of taro
1 banana leaf, midrib removed
300g kamaimai, palm honey or molasses
300ml (about) coconut milk.
Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 180°C.
Peel the taro corms then cut into pieces. Place in a saucepan, barely cover with water then bring to a boil, cover and cook for about 40 minutes or until the taro has softened. Drain the taro and transfer to a bowl.
Scatter over the sweetener then use a mixer to render everything to a paste. Work in the coconut milk a little at a time adding just enough for you to attain a soft mixture and to give the dessert a bit of a coconut flavour.
Wash the banana leaf, pat dry then bing a large pan of water to a boil. Dip the banana leaf in this on both sides so it softens and becomes pliable.
Arrange the banana leaf on an oven-proof dish then pour over the taro mixture. Wrap the banana leaf around the taro paste then secure with string.
Transfer the dish containing the banana leaf wrapped taro mixture to your pre-heated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes until the buatoro is set.
When done, remove from the oven, unwrap the parcel, slice and serve.
Click on the image, above to submit to Pinterest.