From our longtime food columnist Ashley Boudreaux, this unique invention epitomizes what I love about stoner cuisine. It’s creative, different, fun, and inspired by the times we live in. Like President Obama, this appetizer mixes multiple cultures but is ultimately an American amalgamation. In keeping with the spirit of our highest officeholder, the culinary inspiration for this dish is about finding common ground between the United States and the rest of the world. Ashley explains:
Tilapia is a fish that’s widely consumed in both Hawaii (where Obama was born) and Kenya (his father’s homeland). Mangoes grow in both places, as well as in Indonesia (mango trees shade his stepgrandmother’s tin-roofed house in Kogelo). Another staple in Kenya is a dish called sukuma wiki, which is Swahili for “stretch the week,” which sounds like an indispensable skill to have in these challenging times. Sukuma wiki is like the smothered greens ubiquitous in Southern soul food but without the pork, which folks in Washington need to cut out anyway. And, of course, cannabis is a global panacea, uniting the diverse wherever it’s used. Wrap it all up in a classic puff pastry, and you have an Obamosa.
STONES 6
MANGO PURÉE
1 ripe mango, pit and skin removed, chopped
SAMOSAS
One 16-ounce package frozen puff pastry
Juice from 1 small lime
One 12-ounce tilapia filet
2 teaspoons curry powder, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
SUKUMA WIKI
2 cups chopped kale, steamed
1 cup diced tomato
2 teaspoons finely chopped green onion
MANGO SAUCE
4 tablespoons Simple Cannabutter (see recipe)
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro
1. To make the mango purée, put the mango and ½ cup water in a blender or food processor, and purée until smooth. Set aside.
2. To make the samosas, thaw puff pastry according to the package instructions. Set aside.
4. Pour half the lime juice over the tilapia filet. Rub it down with the curry and ginger. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or grill over hot coals for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until fish is tender and flaky. (If baking in the oven, leave the oven on.) Cut into small chunks and set aside.
5. To make the sukuma wiki, sauté kale with tomatoes and green onion in a saucepan over medium heat until wilted. Cool and squeeze out excess liquid.
6. To make the mango sauce, heat the cannabutter over low heat in a saucepan until it melts. Set aside 2 tablespoons of melted cannabutter for brushing the pastry. Add flour to the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet, and whisk over low heat until the lumps are gone. Add the coconut milk, ¼ cup of the mango purée, the remaining lime juice, the cilantro, and curry powder to taste. Stir until the sauce thickens.
7. To assemble the samosas, cut the puff pastry into 3-inch squares. Layer about a heaping tablespoon each of the sukuma wiki and fish on the squares of puff pastry, then fold them into triangles, sealing the edges with water and pressing with a fork before brushing the pastries with the reserved cannabutter. Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve drizzled with the warm mango sauce (plus some for dipping) and any remaining sukuma wiki on the side.