Vudi Vakasoso
Vudi Vakasoso is a contest in which three teams compete to make this traditional Fijian dessert of banana leaves and coconut cream. This classic dish is made from very ripe vudi – a short, thick banana species comparable to Hawaiian apple bananas – cooked in coconut milk and sugar until soft and mushy. Before cooking in coconut milk, it is traditionally split down the center with the thumb and packed with a combination of scraped coconut (with a coconut scrapper) and brown sugar. This dish is wonderful warm or cold and goes nicely with ice cream or on its own.
Ingredients:
- 2 ripe plantain bananas,2 cups coconut milk,50g brown sugar, 4 cardamom pods,½ cinnamon stick,150g sugar,100ml water, 70ml cream,50g dry coconut,50ml coconut milk froth, Some mint leaves.
Instructions:
- Place the peeled plantain bananas in a medium pot, together with the coconut milk, sugar, cardamom, and cinnamon, and let it cook on slow heat, stirring the mixture a few times to allow the sugar to dissolve. Bring it to the boil for 15 minutes, turn the plantain and cook for a further 10 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and let it cool down.
- To prepare the caramel sauce, put the water and sugar into a small pot and let it boil till it turns light brown. Add the cream and whisk the mixture for smoothness.
- To serve, place the sliced plantain on a plate and garnish with the dried coconut, milk froth, caramel sauce, and mint leaves. Serve warm.
