palusami (baked)

6 cloves garlic pounded
2 cans coconut cream/3 fresh coconuts
1/2 small ginger
1 bundle taro leaves - about 30 leaves (preferably young)
salt
aluminium foil


Grate the flesh from the coconuts. Using fine cheesecloth/new pair of socks or coconut fibre, squeeze out the coconut cream. If you don't live near a tropical coast then buy 2 or 3 cans of coconut cream.
season coconut cream with salt, ginger + pounded garlic
line a small bowl with aluminium foil, take 4-6 washed fresh taro leaves and shape them into the bowl, with the largest on the outside. Into the centre pour about one cup of coconut cream. Fold the leaves carefully without spilling the cream. wrap the alumium around the folded taro parcel.
Bake in a moderate oven (180-200 degrees C) for 1 hour

Makes 6 or 7 parcels

note + local shopping tip:

• morris hedstrom outlets will scrape your coconuts for you for free is you purchase the coconuts from them. they also sell the taro leaves but it's best to buy them from the market from thursday afternoon to saturday midday as this is when the villagers come to the city to sell their local produce.
• taro leaves contain calcium oxalate and some varieties possess a considerable "bite", particularly the tips. if local knowledge is not available then you will need to experiment, but most of this "bite" is removed by cooking. choose leaves with green or pink (not brown or purple) stalks if your taro is the Colocasia genus, but the leaves of all varieties of Xanthosoma can be used.