Salad with ulu a winner for KCC student duo

Breadfruit season is on the wane, but some fruit can still be scared up at farmers markets and in Chinatown, or you can hold onto this recipe till next summer — it’s worth it.

The Kahala Nui retirement community hosted its seventh Art of Healthy-licious Cooking contest Oct. 21, inviting Kapiolani Community College culinary students to submit recipes designed to be healthy and simple for seniors to prepare.

The ingredient of choice was breadfruit, or ulu, from the Hawai‘i ‘Ulu Cooperative, made up of more than 30 small-scale growers on the Big Island.

The students visited an ulu farm and studied up on the nutritional benefits of their key ingredient — a low-fat, high-protein, gluten-free starch that was a key component in the ancient Hawaiian diet.

They made a vegetarian chili with ulu chunks and topped with ulu cornbread, an ulu croquette, and a cottage pie with a ground-beef filling and mashed ulu spread over the top in place of the usual potatoes.

As a judge, I tried them all and came out a believer. Next time I can get my hands on some, I’ll probably go breadfruit bonkers.

The winners were Connor Underwood and Kanani Tramuto, who came up with a Waldorf-style salad using chunks of roasted ulu with lots of fruit, vegetables, macadamia nuts and a curry flavoring. Yogurt used in place of mayonnaise lightened it up but kept it creamy.

They said they wanted to develop a recipe that could be kept cold for several days and served in various ways. Their salad can be made into a sandwich or wrap filling or served atop greens, a papaya half or simply on crackers.

Underwood, originally from Texas, graduates in the spring but is already working for chef Alan Wong. Tramuto, a Pearl City High School graduate, also earns her degree next year.

Each received a $750 scholarship.

ULU CURRY SALAD

• 2 cups breadfruit, diced small
• 1 tablespoon coconut or vegetable oil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1-1/2 cups chopped red grapes
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped roasted macadamia nuts
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon lime juice

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil.

Toss breadfruit in oil; season with salt, if using. Place on baking sheet and bake 10-15 minutes, until tender.

Let cool to room temperature.

Combine breadfruit with remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. Chill. Serves 4.

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Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 310 calories, 15 g total fat, 7 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 46 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 23 g sugar, 5 g protein.

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