ʻUlu Paʻiʻai (Hawaiian Hand-Pounded Breadfruit)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large steamer pot with tight lid
• •Papa kuʻi ʻai and pōhaku kuʻi ʻai, or heavy mortar and pestle
• •Bench scraper or sturdy spatula for folding the mash

Instructions

1. 1

   Choose the ʻulu

   Choose a mature firm ʻulu, green to yellow-green, heavy for its size, with a little latex at the stem and no sour smell. For paʻiʻai you want starch, not dessert. If it's soft and fragrant like ripe fruit, save that one for baking sweet or frying. Eat what you have, but ask the ʻulu what job it's ready for.

   A mature starchy ʻulu feels like a firm potato under the skin. A fully ripe ʻulu smells sweet and gives under the thumb; that one will pound sticky and loose.
2. 2

   Trim and steam

   Rinse the ʻulu, cut off the stem end, and quarter it through the core. Set the pieces in a steamer basket over simmering water, cover tight, and cook 45 to 60 minutes, until a knife slides into the thickest part with no hard white resistance. The flesh should turn creamy yellow and smell warm, nutty, and clean.

3. 3

   Peel it warm

   Let the quarters cool just enough to handle, then peel away the skin and cut out the spongy core. Work while the ʻulu is still warm. That warmth is your helper, because the starch is relaxed and ready to smooth out under the stone.

4. 4

   Begin the pound

   Set the warm ʻulu on a papa kuʻi ʻai, a poi board, or in a heavy mortar. Wet the pōhaku kuʻi ʻai, the poi pounder, or pestle, and pound in steady strokes, folding the pieces back into themselves as they break down. At first it crumbles and pushes back. Keep going. It will gather.

5. 5

   Work it smooth

   Dip your fingers or pounder in water a little at a time, only enough to help the ʻulu turn smooth and pull together. Add the paʻakai if you want it. The paʻiʻai is ready when it holds as one dense, glossy mass, with no dry chunks hiding inside and no water pooling around it.

   Don't flood it. Paʻiʻai is the thick stage. If you add more water and keep working, you move toward poi ʻulu, breadfruit poi.
6. 6

   Shape and serve

   Oil your hands lightly if the ʻulu is sticking, shape it into a mound or thick slab, and serve warm or room temperature. Tear pieces by hand, or slice it for the table. It belongs beside salty meats, fish, greens, coconut-rich dishes, or whatever your house is eating that day. No need make it fancy.

Chef Tips

• •Sourcing first, always. If you can buy ʻulu from a local grower, do that before worrying about perfect technique. ʻĀina, kānaka, meaʻai, land, people, food, all tied together.
• •Frozen cooked ʻulu is a real weeknight help. Thaw it, steam it again until fully hot and soft, then pound. Keeper, not gatekeeper.
• •If you don't have a papa kuʻi ʻai and pōhaku, use a heavy mortar and pestle, a sturdy potato masher, then finish with firm hand-kneading. The old way teaches best, but the kitchen you have still can feed you.
• •Leftover ʻulu paʻiʻai slices well once chilled. Pan-fry the slices in a little oil until the edges go crisp and the middle stays tender, then eat with eggs, stew, or leftover kālua. We no waste good food.

Advance Preparation

• •Cook the ʻulu up to 2 days ahead, peel and core it, then refrigerate it covered. Re-steam until fully warm and soft before pounding.
• •Finished ʻulu paʻiʻai keeps 3 days wrapped tight in the refrigerator. Rewarm by steaming gently, or slice and pan-fry from cold.
• •For a softer poi ʻulu, pound the paʻiʻai first, then work in small splashes of cool water until it loosens to the texture your table likes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 220g)