Campfire Griddle Fijian Coconut Cassava Pancakes with Fresh Papaya and Lime

Build your campfire early and let it burn down to a steady bed of orange coals; set a cast-iron griddle or heavy skillet on a grate about 4 inches above the coals to preheat while you mix the batter.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups grated fresh or frozen cassava (thawed, squeezed dry)
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, plus extra for topping
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, for the griddle
• 1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 2 limes, one juiced and one cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup coconut cream, for drizzling

Instructions

1. Build your campfire early and let it burn down to a steady bed of orange coals; set a cast-iron griddle or heavy skillet on a grate about 4 inches above the coals to preheat while you mix the batter.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk and eggs until smooth, then stir in the grated cassava until evenly coated.
3. In a second bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and shredded coconut, then fold the dry mixture into the cassava mixture just until no streaks of flour remain — the batter will be thick and slightly sticky.
4. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes while the griddle finishes heating; a drop of water should sizzle and skate across the surface.
5. Melt about a tablespoon of coconut oil on the griddle, then spoon on 1/3-cup mounds of batter and flatten each gently to about 1/2 inch thick.
6. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the edges look set and the undersides are deep golden, then flip and cook 3 minutes more; move the griddle to a cooler part of the fire if the pancakes are browning faster than they cook through.
7. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter, stacking the finished pancakes on a plate near the fire to stay warm.
8. Toss the papaya cubes with the juice of one lime and a pinch of salt.
9. Serve the pancakes topped with the lime-dressed papaya, a drizzle of coconut cream, a scatter of shredded coconut and the remaining lime wedges alongside.
10. Cassava — known as tapioca or manioc across the Pacific — has been a staple of Fijian cooking for centuries, boiled, roasted in earth ovens and grated into cakes long before wheat flour arrived on the islands. Cooking it on a griddle over an open fire is closer to the traditional method than any kitchen stove, and the coconut milk in the batter keeps the interior custardy while the exterior crisps. If you are camping, grate the cassava at home and freeze it in a zip bag — it thaws in the cooler overnight and saves you the messiest step at the site.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 430 kcal
• Protein: 8g
• Fat: 22g
• Carbohydrates: 54g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 16g
• Sodium: 340mg