‘Ulu vs Potato

Sam Choy, Diane Ragone, center, and Shirley Kauhaihao

Celebrity Chef Sam Choy, Hawai‘i’s ‘Ulu Ambassador knows how to cook a tasty meal just as much he knows how to keep a crowd entertained.

On Sept. 19, Choy did a spirited cooking demonstration at Times Supermarket in Lihu‘e for nearly 200 people. On the menu: ‘Ulu, ‘ulu and ‘ulu.

‘Ulu, or breadfruit, is a delicious, starchy fruit that has the potential to alleviate hunger in some of the areas of the world where people suffer the most without enough food or proper nutrition.

Sam Choy facing a crowd of nearly 200.

Choy’s demonstration was part of Breadfruit vs Potato, an initiative of the Ho‘oulu ka ‘Ulu project, which is a collaboration between the Breadfruit Institute of the National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Hawai‘i Homegrown Food Network

Easy to prepare, ‘ulu tastes similar to potato, but is a much more versatile food. It is also gluten free and nutrient rich. If left on the tree to mature further, it becomes a sweet dessert.

NTBG auctioned off three young breadfruit trees during the event. With proper care, in less than three years, these trees will be producing plenty food for the high bidders.

Visit www.breadfruit.info or www.breadfrui.org for more information about cooking breadfruit and the video “Handling and Preparation of Breadfruit with Chef Sam Choy.”