Kabubu

Kabubu is a paste of fermented breadfruit, traditionally kept and eaten as a starchy staple in Kiribati.

Breadfruit is a staple across much of the Pacific, and fermenting it is a way to keep the harvest longer than the fresh fruit would last. Kabubu, also called Te Kabubu, is the Kiribati form of this method. Similar fermented breadfruit foods are made elsewhere in the Pacific, so the technique is shared, but the name used here is Kiribati's.

What it really is

Kabubu is made from breadfruit, coconut and salt. The breadfruit is left to ferment, which turns its mild, starchy flesh into a sour, dense paste that keeps far longer than fresh fruit. The coconut and salt season it. Like bread or rice in other cuisines, it is eaten for its filling starch, with other foods alongside.

Kabubu is made from plants only. Its main ingredient is breadfruit, and no animal products go into the classic preparation.

How it's served

• Eaten as a staple, in place of rice or bread, with other food served alongside it.
• Portioned from its storage container and eaten as a dense, sour paste.
• Usually part of a meal rather than a snack eaten on its own.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the main ingredient, breadfruit, and state that it is fermented, so guests know it is sour and not fresh breadfruit.
• Name the coconut, since guests with nut allergies often ask about it, and note that the paste is salted for guests watching their salt intake.
• The classic recipe contains no wheat, milk, egg or mustard, but confirm this with the kitchen before printing an allergen-free claim.
• State the portion size and whether it comes as a side to a main dish.