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Feeding the world with Ulu (Breadfruit)
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The seeds of an สปulu, or breadfruit, crossed 2,000 miles of the Pacific in a Polynesian canoe in about 400 C.E. They, alongside other staples such as taro, coconut, bananas and yams, became known as “canoe cropsโ, a few dozen vital plant species that were introduced to the islands of Hawaiสปi by its first settlers. Itโs of little surprise that โulu was selected to take that journey.
Considered to be one of the highest yielding fruit trees on the planet, สปulu can produce hundreds or even thousands of pounds of fruit annually and live for decades.
In subtropical climates, ‘Ulu grow easily and fast and require very little labor or fertilizer. The สปulu fruit is green and about the size and shape of a basketball. They are nutrient dense with antioxidants, fiber, iron, Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, and numerous other vitamins and minerals. Of course all of that would mean nothing if the fruit was inedible, but it is in fact incredibly versatile and delicious. สปUlu can be eaten at any stage of ripeness and treated as a fruit or a vegetable. In its underripe state, สปulu is hard and green and similar in taste to an artichoke. At maturation, it is easily comparable to a potato and can be utilized in various ways as a starch. A bit overripe and สปulu becomes sweet and can be eaten raw like a custard or added to desserts. สปUlu can also be roasted, steamed, fried, cooked in an imuโa deep fire pitโpickled, or even ground into gluten-free flour.
According to Hawaiian mythology, during a time of drought-induced famine, the god Kลซ told his wife that he could save them from starvation but that he would have to leave the family. He receded into the ground which his family watered with their tears day after day until a sprout appeared. It quickly flourished into a fruitful สปulu tree which fed Kลซโs family and community and saved them from starvation.
The myth has roots in reality. Scientists suggest that สปulu could be employed to combat hunger and malnourishment in countries such as Haiti and Jamaica where it would easily grow and produce. Each time an สปulu tree is planted in a country susceptible to famine and starvation, the possibility of that communityโs food sovereignty increases.
Sure, สปulu is delicious, but it deserves more credit than that; it just might save the world.
Cozy Bowl Noodles are plant-based, grain-free noodles with the primary ingredient of Kauaสปi-made สปulu flour. By substituting สปulu for traditional pasta flour, they not only create a larger demand for local สปulu products, they also produce a far more nutrient-dense pasta. Beautifully colorful and hand-s-shaped Rainbow ฤnuenue noodles are a great addition to sautรฉed farmerโs market vegetables or as the cornerstone of a pasta dish.
by Rebecca Remillard (CG writer)
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