Vanuatuan Simboro Greens Cassava Parcels

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb cassava, peeled and finely grated
• 12 large spinach or cabbage leaves
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 cups rice, for serving
• 2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
• 1 1/2 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro or parsley

Steps

1. Peel the cassava thickly, taking off both the bark and the pink layer beneath, cut out the woody core, and grate the flesh finely. Cassava must always be peeled and thoroughly cooked; it is never eaten raw.
2. Squeeze the grated cassava lightly in a cloth to remove excess liquid, but keep it moist enough to hold together.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 6 minutes until soft, then add the garlic, ginger, and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Let it cool, then mix it into the cassava with the salt.
4. Blanch the leaves in boiling water for 20 to 30 seconds, until pliable, then refresh in cold water and pat dry so they roll without cracking.
5. Put 2 heaped tablespoons of the cassava mixture near the stem end of each leaf, fold the sides in, and roll it up into a snug parcel.
6. Pack the parcels seam side down in a single layer in a wide pan and pour the coconut milk over them so they are half submerged.
7. Cover and simmer over low heat for 35 to 40 minutes, keeping the liquid below a boil so the coconut milk does not split, until the cassava has set firm and translucent.
8. Cook the rice while they steam, then season the sauce with lime and salt and serve the parcels over the rice with the cilantro and lime wedges.

Allergen note: Contains coconut.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.