We had our annual Congressional Cook-Off at work this week. Each participant draws a state from a bowl and then has to make something related to that state. My first draw was Indiana. We're allowed to reject the first choice and draw a second time, so I did. And I got ... the Northern Mariana Islands! (Territories and commonwealths with delegates in Congress were included.)
I quickly discovered most authentic recipes use ingredients I'm not used to. I had to ditch my first choice to make, apigigi, when I couldn't find banana leaves or tapioca root at the store. (If there hadn't been a hurricane the weekend before the contest, I might have driven to a larger Asian market in hopes of finding some.) So, I settled for my second choice: kelaguen mannok.
The only tricky ingredient was that I need to grate fresh coconut, and I had no experience with coconuts. So I bought one and researched what to do. I pulled out the tools and hammered some holes in the top to drain out the water.
Then I wrapped it in a towel and beat it with a hammer until it broke open. (I did some subsequent hammer work on it to break it into even smaller pieces.)
What I didn't realize was that the difficult part was just beginning. The worst part was getting the meat out of the shell. First, I had to pry it off the outershell. Then, I had to cut or peel off the remaining thin skin. I "grated" it in the food processor and had quite a mound of meat.
What I learned:
1. I hate fresh coconut as much as I hate dried coconut.
2. I also dislike coconut water.
3. Coconuts are not fun.
But it was a good experience anyway!
(About 30 co-workers participated in the cook-off so we had TONS of food. My food didn't win any of the main categories, but the judges created an honorable mention for it for its authenticity.)
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