#eattheworld ~ Lolo Buns

Welcome to our March 2020 post for the Eat the World project, led by Evelyne of CulturEatz. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us! This month we were invited to explore the islands of Fiji! I wish that I had copies of some pictures I remember my aunt sharing with us many, many years ago of her time living there - the most stunning water I had ever seen. I could imagine packing it all up to live in the sand there!

I started exploring various blogs and recipe links to get an idea of traditional recipes - I kept seeing "lolo" which I have looked up and seen defined as "coconut cream" or "coconut milk" - and you can find many iterations for Lolo Buns, but do give them a try. They are a basic roll baked in coconut milk to give them an incredibly unique, tender texture. They are mild in flavor and VERY versatile! Enjoy with some honey, butter and jam, or I even used several split in half to make cheesy garlic bread to accompany dinner!

Check out all the wonderful Fijian dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members to share with #eattheworld.

• Palatable Pastime: Pawpaw Curry with Lolo 
• Making Miracles: Lolo Buns 
• Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Fijian Food for a Crowd: Curry, Pulao, and Cassava Cake 
• Dinner By Dennis: Palusami 
• Sneha’s Recipe: No Oil Or Butter Fijian Coconut Bread 
• CulturEatz: Kokoda, a Fijian Coconut Milk Ceviche 
• Pandemonium Noshery: Fijian Banana Cake with Dates and Coconut
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Fijian Creamy Lentil Soup (Dhal) 
• Kitchen Frau: Spiced Sweet Potato and Banana Salad 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Kokoda
  
  

Lolo Buns from Coasty on Food

Ingredients
1 1⁄2 cups milk
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
1⁄4 cup sugar
4 cups all purpose flour
60 g butter, melted
1 egg
1-2 cups coconut milk

Directions

1. Warm the milk for about 60 seconds in the microwave, pour the warmed milk along with the sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix a time or two to combine, and then allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until yeast is foamy and activated.
2. With the dough hook attached, turn mixer to low and add in the flour, egg, and melted butter. Turn the mixer up to medium-high, and allow the dough to come together for about 3-5 minutes. Dough will be fairly soft. Scrape dough away from the bottom of the bowl and pour in some oil just to coat, return dough to the bowl and cover with a towel and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size (about 40-60 minutes).
3. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Punch down dough, divide into about 15 balls, rolled to smooth and place in the prepped baking dish. Cover with the towel again, and allow to rise (about 30-40 minutes).
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. When rolls are well risen, pour enough coconut milk over them to just reach the tops.
5. If your baking dish is very full, place on a baking sheet before you place in the oven. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown and cooked all the way through.
6. Serve warm, or refrigerate any leftovers (may be moist, coated with the coconut milk along the bottoms).