Workshops and Meetings and Trainings, Oh My! Part 6: Ademap FULAP Kala Recipes

There's a new nutrition initiative in Vanuatu titled "Ademap Kala," or, "add 'em up color" to encourage families to eat more local food.

I've been hosting nutrition workshops with the mamas in my village, and today I'll be hosting a cooking class.

Last week, it was centered around 20 vatu snacks and new recipes. Today, the theme is "ademap FULAP kala wetem ol vejtebol" or, "add 'em up TONS of color with vegetables!"

The rationale for this specific workshop was:
1) Many meals on the island are monochromatic, usually white or brown, usually because they are rice, yams, manioc, and other starches.
2) Often, mamas will avoid recipes if there is one ingredient they don't have on hand...so I wanted to create recipes that gave tons of options for substitutes

Below are the four recipes I'll be introducing to the mamas today, encouraging them to use lots of color and yummy fruits/vegetables in their cooking!

Samu loves the cabbage cups!

Cabbage cups

Cabbage Cups

• 1 head of white or red cabbage 
• 1 c tomatoes or 2 mangoes 
• ½ onion or 4 spring onions 
• Two cups of 3+ Crunchy vegetables: broccoli, capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, chinese cabbage, green bean, island cabbage, kumala, nalalas, radishes, red cabbage, snake bean, susut, top blo pumpkin, top blo pima. 
• Oil 
• Optional: Garlic, Pima, scratched coconut, fresh peanuts (green or roasted) 
• Peanut sauce (recipe below) 

1. Put a little oil in a saucepan and cook the garlic and onion until tender. 
2. Fill up the pan with at least two cups of the suggested vegetables (chopped). Stir-fry until slightly soft but still crunchy. Remove from heat. 
3.  Add pima, freshly scratched coconut, or fresh peanuts to the vegetables for extra flavor. 
4.  Stir in peanut sauce. 
5.  Peel the leaves off of the white cabbage, careful not to break them. 
6. Use each leaf as a “cup” to hold a spoonful of vegetables. 
7.  Eat the cabbage cups and enjoy!

Rena thinks the peanut sauce is finger-lickin' good

Peanut Sauce

• 5 T peanut butter
• 2 T soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 T juice of a lemon
• Water
• Optional: Ginger, vinegar, pima

1. Mix together all ingredients except water. 
2.  Add ginger, vinegar and/or pima to add more flavor! 
3. Add water to make it thin. 
4. Use the sauce to add flavor to stir-fried vegetables.

Mamas make the tuna salad for the cucumbers.

Tuna salad cucumber boats

Tuna Salad Cucumber Boats

• 2 small Cucumbers or 1 green papaya 
• 140 g tuna, drained
• 2 T mayonnaise or mashed avocado 
• 1 Tsp of minced onion or spring onion 
• ½ cup of 2+ Vegetables: Capsicum, Carrots, Corn, Green Papaya, Radishes, Red Cabbage, Snake bean 
• Salt and pepper 
• Optional: garlic, watercress, tomatoes, mango, pima, mustard 

1. In a bowl, mix the tuna, mayonnaise, onion, vegetables, salt, pepper and optional flavors. 
2. Cut the cucumber into discs or longer “boats.” 
3. Scoop out the soft seeds keeping the bottom intact. 
4. Scoop the tuna salad into the cucumber. 
5. Enjoy!

Anita scoops the dough on top of the vegetable and bread casserole

Bread and Vegetable Casserole

Bread and Vegetable Casserole

• 1 t garlic 
• 1 onion 
• 1 boullon cube or packet of chicken noodle seasoning 
• 1 ½ c water 
• 1 T cornstarch 
• 2 cans (840g) of mixed vegetables or 2 cups fresh vegetables (mix 2+ of the following: Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Corn, Green Bean, Island cabbage, Kumala, Nalalas, Pumpkin, Top blo Pumpkin, Top blo Pima) 
• Oil 
• Optional: ½ t sage, ½ t thyme, ½ c milk powder, ½ t pepper 
• Bread topping: 
• 1.5 c flour 
• 1 T baking powder 
• 4 t sugar 
• ½ t salt 
• 4 T milk powder 
• 5 T oil 
• ¾ c water 

1. Saute garlic and onions in oil. 
2. Add chicken flavoring. 
3. Mix water and corn flour in a cup. Add to to the saucepan. 
4. Add spices and milk powder, if you want to. 
5. Add 2 cups vegetables. Cook until vegetables are slightly tender. 
6. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the dry biscuit ingredients. 
7. Add the oil and water, and mix until incorporated. 
8. Pour the vegetable mixture into a greased baking dish. 
9. Spoon biscuit batter on top. 
10.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until biscuit on top is done.
11. Enjoy!

Bonnie and the mamas work on making the "Bigfala Banana Lasagna" or Pastelon or Banana Casserole

Pastelon or Banana Lasagna or Banana Casserole

Pastelon or Plantain Lasagna 

• 3 large plantains 
• 1 onion, sliced 
• 3 t garlic 
• 2 cups of 2+ Vegetables: broccoli, capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, corn, eggplant, green bean, island cabbage, nalalas, radishes, snake bean, susut, top blo pumpkin, top blo pima 
• 1 c chopped tomatoes (or 140g tin tomato paste plus ¾ c water) 
• Black pepper 
• 1 packet of flavor or a bouillon cube 
• 2 eggs 
• Oil 
• Optional: ¼ kilo mince or chopped sausage, Spring onion 

1. Cut the plantains into 1cm or thinner slices. Roast, bake or fry the plantains. 
2. In a frying pan, add a little oil, a sliced or chopped onion, and the garlic. If using, add the mince or sausages. Cook until tender. 
3. Add 2 cups of vegetables to the frying pan. 
4. Add the tomatoes, black pepper, and bouillon. 
5. Cook the sauce until the vegetables are tender, then remove from heat. 
6. Oil a baking pan. 
7.  Put a layer of sauce, then bananas, then sauce, then bananas. Continue until you run out. 
8. Crack two eggs on top. 
9. Bake until eggs are cooked, about 10 minutes.
10. Enjoy!

The mamas decide which ones they'll dig into first.

Everyone enjoying their new snacks!