This one is a rarity in itself. Meticulous preparation of the Federico Palm’s nuts is crucial, as they’re toxic when not properly prepared. I’ve never encountered dishes made with these nuts before, but they were yet another staple in traditional Chamorro life. In this post we will learn more about the Federico Palm in Guam and read about the steps for preparing it, along with three short recipes. This is the sixth part of the book Manmannge’ Na Nengkanno’ I Manchamorro Yan Taimanu Manmafa’tinas-niha written by Carmen C. Blas, which I found in the UOG Archives and Digital Collections website. This post includes the Chamorro text, an English translation, and a Chamorro audio narration by Jay Che’le. Happy reading!

Image Credit: “Understory habitation” by Chamorroplants671 available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed from Wikipedia.

FADANG

Este i fadang na trongko, ti matåtånme Guam, doddoko’ ha’ gi halom tåno’. Gof ya-ña guihi gi annai ti mana’manánana na lugåt. Un biahi ha’ manónokcha’ gi sakkan lao guaha nai mås di siento na fadang tinekchå’-ña. Gof bunitu na kulot kåhet flores-ña ya guaha nai nuebi pat dies potgådas inanako’-ña. Yanggen ha bábague’ i flores, guaha nai sinko na tinekcha’ kada rasimu ya guaha nai mås di bente na rasimu. 

Gof binenu este i tinekcha’ fadang yanggen ti masúsumai. Aridondo i tinekcha’ ya mahetok i sanhiyong. Å’paka’ sensen-ña, yanggen ti un ipe’ kalan ha’ yo-yo ridondo-ña. 

Yanggen asta un na’huyong sanhalom-ña, dibåna pat acha ya ayu na un sumai. Na’mås hånom ki i fadang. Kada diha, a’gu i hanom ya un enhagua i fadang asta i ocho dihas. Yanggen asta un sumai ocho dihas, sini gi sahguan ni siña tuho’ i hanom. I mina’dos dihas, tåla’ huyong gi semnak asta ki gof ånglo’. 

TITIYAS FADANG 

Mulinu i anglo’ fadang na’finu. Liti ni hanom ya un pada’. Na’lågu gi kemat asta ki måsa. Parehu ha’ este macho’gue-ña yan i titiyas mai’es. Gof månnge’ mana’danña’ makånno’ yan guihan. 

PILOTAN FADANG

Gisa i mannok pat i katnen guaka ni siboyas. Nå’yi asiga ya u hinatme i katne. Nå’yi hånom para kåddo-ña. Na’meggai-ña i hanom ki i katne. Na’lågu asta ki måsa ya mañaña’ i mannok pat i katne. 

Liti i minilinon fadang hånom ya un pada’ gi kannai-mu. Yute’ påpa’ gi kaddu asta ki måsa i fadang. Yanggen asta todu måsa, leche niyok ya un guahi. 

BONELOS FADANG

Mulinu i fadang, na’gof finu, taiguihi i para matitiyas. Nå’yi gi na’yan ni siña un liti ya ti u machuda’. Kåmyo maseha tres na niyok ya un fugo’ i leche na’gof te’ok. Liti i minilinon fadang ni lechen niyok, nå’yi asukat yan didide’ vanilla ya un chaflilek taiguihi i boñelos lemmai pat i rosketi. Aflitu gi laña ya un guahi yanggen esta måsa.

FEDERICO NUTS

This tree, the Federico Palm, is not planted on Guam, it just sprouts in the jungle. It really likes it there where it is not bright. It only fruits once a year, but there are more than one hundred federico palm fruits. Its flowers are a very beautiful orange color and sometimes it is nine or ten inches long. If the flowers open, sometimes there are five fruits on every cluster, and sometimes there are more than twenty clusters.

This federico palm fruit is very poisonous if it is not soaked. The fruit is round and the outside is hard. Its flesh is white and if you don’t split it, its roundness is just like a yo-yo.

If you’ve already removed its insides, slice it or pound it and that’s when you soak it. Put more water than federico nuts. Every day, change the water and rinse the federico nuts until it has been eight days. When you have already soaked it for eight days, place them in a container that can drip the water. On the second day, dry it outside in the sun until it is very dry.

FEDERICO NUT TORTILLAS 

Grind the dry federico nuts finely. Stir it with water and pat it. Cook it on a griddle until it’s done. This is done just the same as corn tortillas. It is very delicious if it is eaten together with fish.

FEDERICO NUT DUMPLINGS 

Sauté the chicken or the beef with onion. Add salt and the meat will absorb it. Add water for its broth. Make the water more than the meat. Cook it until it’s ready and the chicken or meat is soft.

Mix the ground federico nuts with water and pat it in your hand. Throw them into the soup until the federico nuts are cooked. Once it’s all cooked, pour in coconut milk and remove from the heat.

FEDERICO NUT DOUGHNUTS 

Grind the federico nuts, make it very fine, like for making tortillas. Pour it in a dish which you can stir without spilling. Grate about three coconuts and squeeze the milk, make it very thick. Stir the ground federico palm with coconut milk, add sugar and a little bit of vanilla, and twist it like breadfruit doughnuts or rosketi. Fry it in oil and remove it when it is already done.

Notes

u hinatme i katne: This literally translates to “the meat will be entered.” The word hinatme comes from hatme which means “invade, penetrate, trespass.” But in the context of this recipe, it’s talking about the flavor or even the liquid from the sauteed onion infusing the meat.

Source

Carmen C. Blas, “Manmannge’ Na Nengkanno’ I Manchamorro Yan Taimanu Manmafa’tinas-niha,” University of Guam Digital Archives and Exhibitions, accessed January 16, 2025, https://uogguafak.omeka.net/items/show/548.