🇲🇭 Marshallese Cuisine

Bukbok

Fermented Breadfruit Paste

Prep Time 2 hours
Servings 10
Difficulty Hard
Calories 164 kcal

Tangy, fermented breadfruit paste preserved in underground pits, a vital traditional staple with a distinctive sour flavor unique to Marshallese cuisine.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1 Peel and core ripe breadfruit, removing the skin and central stem.
  2. 2 Wash the breadfruit flesh thoroughly and place into a leaf-lined pit or large fermentation container.
  3. 3 Cover with layers of banana leaves and weight down with heavy stones.
  4. 4 Allow to ferment for 2-4 weeks, checking periodically for proper fermentation.
  5. 5 Once fermented to desired sourness, remove and knead into a smooth paste.
  6. 6 Shape into portions and wrap in pandanus leaves for storage or immediate cooking.

Did You Know?

Properly fermented bukbok can last for years without refrigeration, serving as emergency food reserves during typhoon seasons.