Last month we returned to Niue for a holiday, and one of the first things we did was a Plantation Tour with Tony, like seven year ago, to stock up with local produce for a plant based diet. Naturally we started with some fresh coconut to drink.
And some marshmallow coconut to eat.
We took back quite a lot of young coconuts, from a small one I could get two big glasses of coconut water, if it was a bit bigger two and an half glasses.
After drinking we used the tender flesh, you can just eat it as it is, or use it in cooking (the best was to pan-fry it with olive oil and smoked salt and eat it as 'vegan bacon'. Then we gave the shells to the cat and it cleaned it up! Never seen a cat eating coconut!
Click here for more coconut recipes and creations in Niue.
Next was taro, so much taro, white and pink!
And cassava, a white and a yellow type (I prefer the yellow).
And a type of wild spring onion, very tasty. We also got some basil.
Ginger abounds too, if you are keen.
And this is our bounty!
Taro is very starchy and filling, I made some salads, one with boiled taro, olive oil, salt, basil and spring onions.
And one with boiled taro, vegan mayo and spring onions.
I also boiled the cassava and then roasted half with olive oil and salt, while the other half I mushed and mixed with falafel mix to make veggie burgers (ok, they don't look 'pretty' but they were pretty good). More recipes here.
No much tropical fruit around a part from bananas, papaya and coconut, but I loved the papayas with a drizzle of Niue Honey and lime or lemon juice.
And for dessert: papaya, banana and young coconut flesh fruit salad, with rum and a little sugar.
And here something we DIDN"T eat: Uga crab.
And some pretty fish!
Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©
