TUVALU: Coconut Tuna Curry over Rice with Oven-Baked Taro Chips

This is a fresh and bright curry. I like heat, so used a large Scotch bonnet, which was mild by my standards, but others noted it was on the hotter side. I will note, the tuna goes from raw to overdone in a minute, so both use a wide pan to ensure all the pieces can rest in a single layer to cook uniformly and watch the pan from the start. But overall, this was a fast take on an excellent weeknight curry.

While I am including a recipe for taro chips, they were out of taro root at the store near me where it is normally sold. Thus I went with store-bought taro chips. I rather liked the crunch of the chip with the curry, as it needed the additional texture, so by all means, buy a bag if you want to save the time and have the extra crunch. Terra brand makes them, as do a few other smaller brands.

Tuna Curry over Rice

2 cups uncooked jasmine rice

2 tablespoon coconut or canola oil

1 medium yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

1 habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper, optional

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 tablespoon mild curry powder, such as McCormick or Madras (do not use Indian, Jamaican, or Thai blends)

1 ~14,5 oz can coconut milk

4 scallions

2 Persian cucumbers

2-4 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari, to taste

1½ lb raw, cubed tuna steaks

1. Cook the rice according to package directions.

2. Dice the onion. Heat some the coconut oil in a large skillet or wok set over medium high heat. Sauté the onions until softened, about five minutes. Mince the garlic and chili pepper, if using. Add the ginger, garlic, chili pepper, and curry powder to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring often.

3. Stir in the coconut milk. Slice the scallions. Peel the cucumber, then half lengthwise and slice into wide slices. Add both to the pan. Season with soy sauce to taste. Cook 3 minutes.

4. Add the tuna. Cook to your preferred level of doneness for the fish.

5. Serve overtop rice.

Oven-Baked Taro Chips

1 medium taro root (available at most Asian, Hispanic, or international grocery stores)

1-2 tablespoons coconut oil

Coarse salt, to taste

NOTE: Do not wash the taro root until after it is peeled. Raw taro slime can make your skin itch.

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.

2. Slice off the top and bottom end of the taro toor, so it stands flat. Use a sharp knife to slice downward, cutting away the hairy brown skin until only white flesh with purple veins remains. Rinse the peeled root under cold water, then dry it completely with a paper towel.

3. Slice the taro as thinly as you can with a sharp knife. (Hand-slicing gives them that authentic, island texture.) Submerge the slices in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes. This removes excess starch so they get crispy instead of soggy.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the dry taro slices in a bowl with the melted coconut oil until lightly coated. Spread the slices onto the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. They are done when the edges turn golden-brown and crisp.

#tunacurry #islandcooking #taro #tuvalu

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FUN FACTS:

• Tuvalu is widely considered the least visited sovereign country in the world, with only about 3,600 visitors each year.

•  There are no ATMs on the island and most places to not accept credit cards. Australian dollars are needed to transact.

•  Tuvalu makes a significant portion of its national revenue by leasing its highly coveted .tv internet domain name to tech and streaming companies.