Local Bananas
As previously noted, one of the most common questions I have received before I left for Pohnpei was what was I going to eat? I had read about local foods but didn’t really have a good answer, so I just said “food.” This is an interesting part of the world because there is food from many different cultures all in one place. So while there is some American food, there is also a lot of Japanese, Filipino and local food as well. I’m happy to report though that there are no fast food restaurants (or at least not chains). The cynical side of me says it’s only a matter of time before a McDonalds pops up – they’d make a killing. Most of my meals consist of budget-friendly courses like pasta and beans and rice. I have tried some new food for the first time though.
The Japanese food I’ve tried has been really good. Today I ate somen, which is a cold noodle with an onion and ginger sauce. Most of the Japanese food I’ve eaten though has come in packaging, as everything in Japan comes in a package, or so I’ve been told. Among these are asparagus bread sticks, nutrition biscuits and this coffee-milk drink called Pokka which I’m slowly becoming addicted to. I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg with all the available Japanese food.
What I really was excited to try though was the local food. I have eaten plenty of fish, mostly Skipjack and Yellow Fin Tuna. I also prepared and ate a Surgeon fish I caught last week. I’m looking forward to fishing in a couple months when it is the season for my favorite fish, Mahi Mahi. With these fish though we haven’t just eaten the filets and thrown out the rest. As per local custom, the best part of the fish is the stuff most people toss in the trash can. I have eaten all parts of the fish head including the eyes and also the heart, sashimi style. Check out the video below to see how much I enjoyed that!
Besides fish I have really enjoyed other local foods. I have eaten breadfruit, coconuts, papaya and many different types of bananas. Breadfruit is the most important food to the locals, as it has deep cultural meaning being the main staple food of the islanders. In Pohnpeian, breadfruit is translated as “Mahi” (pronounced “my”) – an interesting anecdote considering the name of our non-profit organization.
Quick side story: The other day we were eating papaya and threw the seeds over the balcony onto some dirt here at the MAHI Hospitality Center. About five days later John was cutting the grass and knew well enough not to cut the papaya trees which were already about four inches tall. He said they will be taller than us in a few months and produce fruit a few months after that. It’s very easy to grow food in Pohnpei!
My favorite local food is probably karat (pronounced “ka-rotch” – emphasis on the “ka”). It’s a short, thick banana probably three inches in diameter. You peel half off and eat it with a spoon. One of the great things about it is how it is ridiculously good for you. The numbers are staggering of how many vitamins it contains. I’ve heard numbers that it contains more than 3000% of your daily value in certain vitamins. Historically some have thought it was bad for you because it makes your urine bright yellow, while in fact it’s just caused from an overload of vitamins. John warned me this was going to happen, but it was pretty crazy when it did! I’ve also eaten different bananas prepared in a variety of ways, such as boiled, which I was told actually brings out more nutrients than if you eat them raw.
My favorite thing I’ve eaten thus far has been dytuss (no idea of the spelling, pronounced “thai-toose”). You make it by smashing banana into flour, making bite size pieces, and deep frying the whole thing. I only had one but apparently at different potlucks there are whole platters. I’m looking forward to the day when I’m at such an event.
Overall, it has been an interesting experience to try new foods, having no idea what to expect. There are plenty of more foods I am looking forward to trying, but I will definitely do my best to avoid all the high-sugar, processed foods that are the cause of an epidemic of diabetes, hypertension and other noncommunicable diseases on Pohnpei.
Today is FSM Independence Day so there is no school, and most schools and government offices are taking off tomorrow (Friday) as well. We have been very busy with our education project though and are one school away from completing our student reading level assessments! We have been spending a lot of time brainstorming where to start in reforming these schools, focusing on how to create lasting and sustainable change. Stay tuned for the final results and our game plan for reform!
The Japanese food I’ve tried has been really good. Today I ate somen, which is a cold noodle with an onion and ginger sauce. Most of the Japanese food I’ve eaten though has come in packaging, as everything in Japan comes in a package, or so I’ve been told. Among these are asparagus bread sticks, nutrition biscuits and this coffee-milk drink called Pokka which I’m slowly becoming addicted to. I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg with all the available Japanese food.
What I really was excited to try though was the local food. I have eaten plenty of fish, mostly Skipjack and Yellow Fin Tuna. I also prepared and ate a Surgeon fish I caught last week. I’m looking forward to fishing in a couple months when it is the season for my favorite fish, Mahi Mahi. With these fish though we haven’t just eaten the filets and thrown out the rest. As per local custom, the best part of the fish is the stuff most people toss in the trash can. I have eaten all parts of the fish head including the eyes and also the heart, sashimi style. Check out the video below to see how much I enjoyed that!
Besides fish I have really enjoyed other local foods. I have eaten breadfruit, coconuts, papaya and many different types of bananas. Breadfruit is the most important food to the locals, as it has deep cultural meaning being the main staple food of the islanders. In Pohnpeian, breadfruit is translated as “Mahi” (pronounced “my”) – an interesting anecdote considering the name of our non-profit organization.
Quick side story: The other day we were eating papaya and threw the seeds over the balcony onto some dirt here at the MAHI Hospitality Center. About five days later John was cutting the grass and knew well enough not to cut the papaya trees which were already about four inches tall. He said they will be taller than us in a few months and produce fruit a few months after that. It’s very easy to grow food in Pohnpei!
My favorite local food is probably karat (pronounced “ka-rotch” – emphasis on the “ka”). It’s a short, thick banana probably three inches in diameter. You peel half off and eat it with a spoon. One of the great things about it is how it is ridiculously good for you. The numbers are staggering of how many vitamins it contains. I’ve heard numbers that it contains more than 3000% of your daily value in certain vitamins. Historically some have thought it was bad for you because it makes your urine bright yellow, while in fact it’s just caused from an overload of vitamins. John warned me this was going to happen, but it was pretty crazy when it did! I’ve also eaten different bananas prepared in a variety of ways, such as boiled, which I was told actually brings out more nutrients than if you eat them raw.
My favorite thing I’ve eaten thus far has been dytuss (no idea of the spelling, pronounced “thai-toose”). You make it by smashing banana into flour, making bite size pieces, and deep frying the whole thing. I only had one but apparently at different potlucks there are whole platters. I’m looking forward to the day when I’m at such an event.
Overall, it has been an interesting experience to try new foods, having no idea what to expect. There are plenty of more foods I am looking forward to trying, but I will definitely do my best to avoid all the high-sugar, processed foods that are the cause of an epidemic of diabetes, hypertension and other noncommunicable diseases on Pohnpei.
Today is FSM Independence Day so there is no school, and most schools and government offices are taking off tomorrow (Friday) as well. We have been very busy with our education project though and are one school away from completing our student reading level assessments! We have been spending a lot of time brainstorming where to start in reforming these schools, focusing on how to create lasting and sustainable change. Stay tuned for the final results and our game plan for reform!
The local belief is that if you eat the heart of a Yellow Fin Tuna raw (sashimi) you will never get seasick again. I figured there was no harm in trying... And in case you were wondering, it tastes exactly like you think it would.
A 40 lb. Yellow Fin Tuna - the biggest catch I have been a part of...so far!
