PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Bully Beef Casserole and "Islands Ladies Cookbook" Cabbage Salad

Both of these recipe rely on nonperishables from other cultures. While at first glance this might seem inauthentic, Papua New Guinea (PNG) has a high consumption of canned food due to its long shelf-life, as getting goods to the island is tricky, but transporting perishable goods across the country's mountainous terrain is the true challenge. Canned corned beef was introduced to PNG by Australian troops during the world wars. "Bully beef" quickly became integral to local diets. Since arriving in the 1980s, instant ramen has evolved from a simple convenience food into a deeply embedded cultural staple.

In full disclosure, I will never again make the casserole. Not my vibe. But the salad, which I tried prior to adding the noodles, was quite tasty. My family agreed — thumbs up on the salad, less so on the bully beef dish.

Bully Beef Casserole

1 cup uncooked jasmine rice

½ tablespoon butter

1 12-ounce can corned beef

4 firm medium tomatoes, such as Roma

1 cup canned coconut milk

¼ cup frozen peas (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. Cook the rice according to package instructions. While rice cooks, crumble the corned beef. Cut the tomatoes into slices ¼” thick.

3. Butter a 2-3 quart casserole dish. Put half of the rice on the bottom of the dish and spread into a smooth layer. Place half of the crumbled corned beef atop spreading evenly. Next, layer half of the tomato slices.

4. Repeat this sequence of layers with the remaining rice, corned beef, and tomato slices. Pour coconut milk over casserole. Sprinkle peas over casserole. Bake for 25 minutes or until coconut milk bubbles.

"Islands Ladies Cookbook" Cabbage Salad

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup peanuts

2 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 packet original or chicken ramen

½ head green cabbage

4 scallions

1 packet of ramen seasoning

1 tablespoon white vinegar

3 tablespoons olive or canola oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1. Heat the butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the nuts, sesame seeds, and ramen noodles, crumbling the latter as you place into the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, 213 minutes until all are toasted. Remove from heat.

2. Thinly slice the cabbage and scallions and add to a large bowl. Top with the toasted nut/noodle mixture.

3. Whisk together the ramen seasons, vinegar, oil, and sugar. Pour on cabbage. Toss together and chill until ready to serve.

#bullybeef #cannedbeef #ramensalad #papanewguinea #png

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FUN FACTS:

• Papua New Guinea is the world's most linguistically diverse country, home to over 840 distinct languages.

• Papua New Guinea is home to the largest butterfly species in the world, Queen Alexandra's Birdwing, which boasts a wingspan of up to 12 inches.

• Until the 1930s, PNG's mountain terrain was thought to be uninhabited. Pilots flying over the region at that time were shocked to discover large (tens of thousands of people), highly organized, and thriving agricultural societies in hidden green valleys.