Renowned Chef Sam Choy shared his passion for cooking Friday at the Kailua-Kona KTA with a cooking demonstration highlighting ulu, or breadfruit. Shoppers were treated to samples of ulu salad-island style and ulu chowder with bacon, Spam and fresh corn after Choy showed the crowd the techniques used in creating the tasty dishes.
The demonstration, presented by KTA and the Hooulu Ka Ulu Project, was part of an ongoing effort to revitalize and promote ulu as a delicious and nutritious local food source.
Andrea Dean, co-director of Hooulu Ka Ulu, said 57 million pounds of fresh and frozen potatoes are imported into the state each year. Ulu is a viable substitution for the starch staple, easily cultivated and grown, providing a local, fresh alternative. “Anything you can do with a potato, you can do better with ulu,” Dean said.