Potato Substitutes

(Extracts from talk broadcast from

ZJV . Suva, Fiji, by the Nutrition

Section of the South Pacific Health

Service.)

THE bad weather experienced in Aus tralia and New Zealand last summer has affected the crops of potatoes.

This means that exports to the Islands will be reduced during the coming season.

Fortunately there are many native root vegetables which may be used to replace potatoes, the most common being cassava, sweet potato, taro and several varieties of vam.

Manioc

Manibot utillissima, commonly known as tapioca, cassava or manioc in different parts of the Pacific, is one of the most useful root vegetables. This may be grown in dry conditions and poor soils. It is the most prolific of all tropical root crops and produces seven to ten tons or more tapioca ta an acre.

The cultivation is simple. Prepare holes six feet apart, at least two feet square and 12 inches or more deep. Thoroughly dig the soil and work well, then plant in the centre three or four cuttings about nine inches long and set at three to six inches apart. Take the cuttings from the youngest part of the stem rather than the old butts. The shrubs grow to a height of six to seven feet and have erect clean stems with divided leaves at the end. The nutritious roots weigh Vz-l lb each and the outer skin peels off easily leaving the white flesh.

Care must be taken in harvesting as the roots are easily bruised. These must be eaten fresh because they become “sour” and discoloured :f kept for more than 2-3 days; bruised tapioca deteriorates even more quickly.

Prepare and cook tapioca in the same way as potatoes. It may be boiled or steamed, mashed with butter or margarine and pepper and salt, roasted in dripping or boiled, cut into chips and fried. Do not use the water from boiled tapioca as this may contain an acid.

Tapioca Patties

Boil the tapioca till soft'and then mash while hot with a little butter, pepper and salt. Make into cakes and fry. Yam, dalo and breadfruit can be used in the same way. These patties are useful for breakfast with fried bacon and tomato or with a main dish at dinner time.

Sweet Potato

Ipomea Batatas—commonly known as sweet potato, Kumala, Kumara or Kau- Kau, is easily grown and both the roots

Pawpaw Scones

1 cup flour. 1 dessertspoon shortening. 1 4 teaspoon salt. 1 teaspoon grated rind or juice of lemon. 1 teaspoon baking powder. 1 dessertspoon sugar. l z cup mashed rine pawpaw (NOT TOO

Ripe But Well Mashed).

Sift flour and salt. Add baking powder and sugar. Rub in shortening. Mix to light dough with pawpaw pulp to which lemon rind or juice has been added. Turn onto a floured board and knead lightly.

Press out to Vz inch thickness and cut with floured knife. Place close together on greased oven tray. Bake in a very hot oven (500 deg.) 12 to 15 minutes.

Mrs. E. J. L., W. Samoa.

and the young green leaves may be eaten. The varieties of this vegetable are distinguishable by colour—red, white, pink and yellow. With these skin colours, there are two main flesh colours, the yellow and the white.

Kumala is a valuable food and supplies starch and sugar, vitamins and minerals.

The yellow variety provides a rich source of vitamin A.

Kumalas can be cooked in the same way as white potatoes. It is a good idea to boil or bake in the jacket. This saves time and conserves the nutritive value.

In America., Kumala is served with pork or ham. Grilled ham or pork chops served with roast kumala and fried pine apple is a favourite dish.

The green shoots may be served as spinach. Boil till tender in a little salted water and season with butter, margarine or coconut cream.

Kumala Puff

1 tablespoon sugar.

Pinch salt. 2 tablespoons butter or margarine. cup hot milk.

I 1 * cups mashed cooked kumala. 2 eggs separated.

Vz teaspoon nutmeg.

Method; Mix sugar, salt, shortening and hot milk, add to kumalas. Add beaten egg yolks and nutmeg and mix well. Beat egg whites stiff and fold into other ingredients. Pour into a greased pie dish. Bake at 350 deg. Fahr. for 45 minutes or until firm, and brown on top.

Serve at once. This is enough for four people.

Southern Kumala

IVz lb kumala. 1 large cooking apple or 2 tablespoons dried apple. 1 4 cup brown sugar. 1 teaspoon cinnamon. 3 tablespoons hot water. 3 tablespoons butter or margarine.

Peel kumalas and cut into slices % inch thick. Peel, core and slice the apple, arrange a layer of kumalas and one of apple in a greased casserole, sprinkle with some of the sugar and dot with butter or margarine. Repeat until all the ingredients are used. Add hot water, cover and bake at 350 deg. Fahr. for about one hour until tender.

Taro

Taro or dalo is one of the most popular and best known of Pacific Island root crops. There are numerous varieties which have been growing in the islands for many centuries. It is believed that dalo originated in south-eastern Asia, and has spread from there to all tropical countries. This plant enabled many of the Pacific Islands to be populated be cause the roots of some of the coarser types will keep on sea voyages for several months. When the Pacific was first visited by Europeans, fish and dalo were found to be the main articles of diet in many of the Islands.

Dalo has large, dark brown, slightly hairy corms. These are between six and 12 inches long and they are attached to greenish, purple stems.

The young leaves are edible and may be used as a green vegetable. The famous Pacific Island dish called ROUROU in Fiji and PALUSAMI in Samoa, is made by cooking young dalo leaves in coconut cream. This has a delicious flavour and high nutritive value.

Dalo should be well cooked and never eaten raw or under-done because it con tains needle like bundles of calcium

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oxalate. These crystals irritate the mouth and they may also sting the hands dur ing preparation. When dalo is cooked, the crystals are broken down and rendered harmless.

The roots need to be cooked for one to three hours depending on their size and method of cooking. Dalo can be used as a substitute for potatoes in most dishes. It may be creamed, scalloped, fried, baked and boiled. To ensure thorough cooking, it is best to boil the roots before frying or baking. Dalo should be mashed hot; when it is cold it becomes sticky and difficult to handle.

Dalo Fritters

1 cup mashed, boiled dalo.

I egg separated.

V-i cup milk. *4 cup flour. 1 teaspoon baking powder. . teaspoon salt.

Beat egg yolk, add milk and add mixture to dalo, blend well. Sift dry ingredients and add. Fold in stiffly beaten egg white. Drop by tablespoons into hot deep fat. Cook until puffy and Iden brown, turning frequently.

Yams

There are at least six known varieties of yam. Wild and cultivated yam roots grow to six feet or more. Some of the former varieties contain a substance )ch makes them indigestible but those selected for cultivation are usually free from this.

Yams are cooked in much the same v. as potatoes. One of the most

delicious ways of cooking is to scrub the yam and bake it in its skin in the oven until soft, then cut down the centre, scoop out the inside and mash with butter, pepper and salt and return to the skin.

Re-heat in the oven for about 10 minutes and serve.

Yam Pudding

IV2 lb yam (cooked and mashed). 1 large onion. 1 tomato chopped.

V-> lb meat or fish (minced or chopped). 1 cup stock.

Parsley.

Mixed herbs.

Worcestershire sauce.

Grease a basin, sprinkle with flour and line with yam. Mix all the other in gredients together and place in lined basin. Cover with greaseproof paper and steam for one hour. Breadfruit can also be used in this recipe.