Vegetables
Bwabwai
Kiribati
Giant swamp taro (Cyrtosperma chamissonis) grown in laboriously hand-dug pits (te baanga) that reach down to the freshwater lens beneath each atoll; takes 12-18 months to mature; the most symbolically valued traditional crop in Kiribati; boiled, roasted, or baked in earth ovens; the pits are family heirlooms passed down through generations.
Original eatfuls sticker artwork
What it is
A closer look at Bwabwai.
Giant swamp taro (Cyrtosperma chamissonis) grown in laboriously hand-dug pits (te baanga) that reach down to the freshwater lens beneath each atoll; takes 12-18 months to mature; the most symbolically valued traditional crop in Kiribati; boiled, roasted, or baked in earth ovens; the pits are family heirlooms passed down through generations.
What to look for
Know it when you find it.
A large, dense, starchy root with rough brown skin and white flesh; grown in hand-dug pits reaching the freshwater lens; takes 12-18 months to mature; the most symbolically valued traditional crop in Kiribati; boiled, roasted, or baked in earth ovens; the pits are family heirlooms; rich in calcium.
Where it belongs
Origins and
traditions.
Food rarely respects a border. These are the places the dataset connects most strongly to Bwabwai.
Names around the table
One food, more than one name.
Keep exploring
If this caught your eye…
Antigua and Barbuda
Chop-Up
Traditional Antiguan side dish; a mash of boiled eggplant, spinach, and okra; the traditional pairing with saltfish and fungee; a Saturday morning ritual; a humble, earthy dish that balances the saltiness of the fish; the chop-up of Antigua; the essential side of the Antiguan breakfast.
Antigua and Barbuda
Antiguan Provisions
Provisions
Boiled root vegetables and starchy staples of Antigua; includes potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, eddo, and green bananas; most meals include provisions as a side; served with stewed meats, fish, or saltfish; the provisions of Antigua; the carbohydrate base of island cuisine.
Antigua and Barbuda
Saltfish and Eggplant
Antiguan dish of rehydrated salted cod sauteed with eggplant (locally called troba) that collapses into silky submission; finished with a squeeze of lime; a traditional Antiguan preparation; eggplant is also known as troba on the island; the saltfish and eggplant of Antigua; a savoury, silky combination.
Colombia
Ahuyama
Colombian butternut squash (ahuyama), used in soups, stews, and purees nationwide. A staple orange-fleshed squash of the Andean and coastal cuisine.
Uganda
Akeyo
A named Ugandan greens dish from the north, simmered with onion and groundnut.
Åland Islands
Åland Asparagus
Åländsk sparris
Fresh asparagus from Åland; 25% of asparagus grown in Finland comes from Åland; season is short and celebrated during 'Sparrisrundan' (Asparagus Round) as part of Åland Grönskar spring festival; a celebrated spring luxury.
Andalusia, Spain
Alcauciles fritos
Alcauciles fritos are young Andalusian artichoke hearts from Cádiz, fried until the leaves crisp while the centres stay tender.
Ethiopia
Amicho
አሚጮ
The tender inner core of the enset plant, boiled and eaten as a starchy vegetable — a southern Ethiopian specialty. Mild, slightly sweet, and a comforting alternative to kocho.