Masi Masi

This has been my most exciting Solomons discovery. First had it at the markets in Gizo, and always had in the back of my mind "really? Really, is it vegan? You promise?" - it's that good. Once I got the recipe out of them, I proceeded to pig myself out on the stuff every night. AUD$2 buys me more than I can actually eat.

Solomon Islands version:

Slippery cabbage (taro leaf if you're desperate - I recommend against that)
3 or 4 taro
Enough baked ngali nut to make 1 litre of paste
Water
Salt to taste
Banana leaf for wrapping in the oven

Slice taro about 1cm thick. Mix together nuts, water and salt to make a paste. Heat the banana leaf over the fire so it's soft enough to wrap. Lay banana leaf out on cutting board, so it's big enough to wrap the entire masimasi. Layer one cabbage or leaf, spread nut paste over the leaf, put a slice of taro over the paste. Repeat for about thee or four layers. Fold and wrap in the softened banana leaf, and bake in motu (stone oven) for approximately 3 hours.


Waetfela version:

Slippery cabbage - if you don't know what it looks like, ask. When they've stopped laughing they'll show you.
3 or 4 taro, or miscellaneous potato-shaped roots that you can't quite discern between in the market...
Ngali nut. Lots of ngali nut. Make up the packet you get from Bulk Store and see if that does the job.
Water
Salt
Casserole dish of some kind

Slice taro about 1cm thick - or as thin as you can get without slicing your fingers (for me... about 5cm). Mix together nuts, water and salt to make a paste - mortar and pestle great for this. In the casserole dish, layer one slippery cabbage bit, spread nut paste over the cabbage, put a slice of taro over the paste. Repeat for about thee or four layers. Cover in baking paper if you brought it with you from Australia. Cook in gas oven for about 1 hour.