Bambukeyo Kirugarudhiya

In this recipe, breadfruit is cooked with turmeric and coconut milk; and the resultant mixture is creamy, mild and delicious. Serve it with rice or with Maldivian flatbread roshi.

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 200 g breadfruit (1/2 a small breadfruit)
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
• 1 large onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ inch piece of ginger
• 15 curry leaves
• ½ scotch bonnet pepper (or to taste)
• 6 inches pandan
• 130 g smoked tuna (1 cup when chopped)
• 3 bimilbi or ¼ lime
• 1 cup thin coconut milk
• 1/3 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/3 cup thick coconut milk

Instructions:

1. Peel the breadfruit, remove the core and wash thoroughly. Cut the breadfruit into ½ inch thick pieces.
2. Add the breadfruit, water and salt to a large pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil the breadfruit for 10 minutes.
3. While the breadfruit is boiling, slice the onion thinly and crush the garlic and ginger. Cut the smoked tuna into 1 inch thick pieces. If you are using bilimbi, cut them in half. If you are using lime, you’ll be squeezing it in during the last step.
4. When the breadfruit has boiled for 10 minutes, lower the heat and add all the ingredients needed for the recipe to the pot except for the thick coconut milk (and lime if you are using that instead of bilimbi). Mix well and put the lid on. Let the mixture simmer gently until the onions soften and the breadfruit is cooked all the way through. For us this took around 15 minutes.
5. Add the thick coconut milk and give it a good mix. Have a taste and adjust salt to your liking. We added 1/4 tsp. at this stage. If you are using lime, squeeze that in and give it a final mix.