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                                                                                                           local Saturday 1 June 2024

              Dining in? Try making a local favorite

              How to make “funchi hasa”


              (Oranjestad)—A  night  in  can  be  just  as  fun                                               stick to the bottom. Let this cool complete-
              as a night out on the town, especially if you                                                   ly while it firms up for the last time. Once it’s
              got the right snacks to munch on. One of the                                                    cooled  you  can  enjoy  it  as  is,  topped  with
              most famous Aruban snacks or appetizers is                                                      some  butter  or  shredded  cheese.  Or,  you
              “funchi hasa” (fried polenta sticks). A super                                                   can take it to another level of deliciousness.
              easy meal that adults and children will both
              enjoy. Here’s how to make it!                                                                   When  your  funchi  is  firm  enough,  cut  it  into
                                                                                                              strips (size is up to you). Heat up some oil in a
              Before we start, get to know the basics                                                         pan and fry those babies up! After frying, you
              So what is funchi hasa? Funchi, or Aruban po-                                                   can top it with some cheese or enjoy it with
              lenta, is a popular side dish for local dishes,                                                 your favorite dipping sauce.
              like  soups,  stews  and  fried  fish.  Made  from
              a  corn  flour,  water  and  butter  mixture,  this                                             Note:  We  recommend  the  FUNCHI  FRESKU
              appetizer  is  traditionally  eaten  alongside  a   Ingredients (measured by heart)             polenta  flour  brand  that  is  sold  in  all  super-
              warm  meal.  However,  locals  also  like  to  fry   1.   Polenta flour*                        markets on the island. You can also use yel-
              sticks of funchi for a quick and filling snack.   2.   Water                                    low corn flour from the brand PAN.
                                                              3.    Butter
                                                              4.    Salt to taste                             Photo credit of fried funchi sticks: Jacqueline

                                                                                                              Felida on Pinterest. q
                                                              Directions
                                                              Bring water to a boil in a medium-sized sauce
                                                              pan. Add in some salt and butter to taste in
                                                              the  boiling  water  and  let  this  dissolve  and
                                                              melt. Then, gradually add the flour while stir-
                                                              ring  with  a  wooden  spoon.  The  mixture  will
                                                              start  to  begin  to  harden  pretty  fast,  so  be
                                                              careful not to add too much. At this phase of
                                                              cooking, you want a goopy thick mixture, but
                                                              thin enough so you can continue to stir to get
                                                              all the lumps out.

                                                              After reaching a semi-firm, yet flexible texture,
                                                              grab a baking pan or any large, deep plate,
                                                              and pour the mixture in. Be sure that this plate
                                                              is wet or greased so that the mixture does not


            Aruba’s Bocas: home to the rarest fossil reefs on the planet!


            (Oranjestad)—If     you’ve  from  the  Marum  research  respond  to  fluctuating  sea
            been to the northern coast  faculty  at  the  University  of  levels or extreme weather,
            of  Aruba  already,  you’ve  Bremen,  Prof.  dr.  Alessio  like  hurricanes  and  tsuna-
            probably  noticed  how  the  Rovere from the Ca’ Fosc-    mis.
            ground differs entirely from  ari University of Venice and
            the sandy beaches on the  Prof.  dr.  Gianfranco  Scic-   Through  underwater  and
            southern part of the island.  chitano, from the University  land  surveillance,  and  3D
            These  hard  surfaces,  with  of Bari Aldo Moro, present-  models  of  the  reefs,  they
            sharp  bumps  and  holes  ed their research on these  were able to narrow down
            are actually fossilized coral  fossilized  coral  reefs  at  the  when   these   formations
            reefs,  of  which  its  growth  University  of  Aruba.  Their  started to take place. They
            and    changes    can   be  focus  for  their  research  in-  were also able to track the
            traced back to the last gla-  cluded studying the health  fluctuation  of  sea  levels
            cial period.                 and  formation  patterns  of  during the past hundred or
                                         these  coral  reefs,  and  to  even  thousands  of  years,
            On  May  30  2023,  geosci-  investigate how these reefs  and  the  effects  that  this
            entists,  Dr.  Patrick  Boyden  have  responded  and  can  fluctuation has had on the
                                                                      coral reefs of the windward
                                                                      side of Aruba.
                                                                                                   reefs on the windward side  these  coral  reefs,  we  are
                                                                      These findings can certainly  are truly an incredible and  able to take concrete ac-
                                                                      put things into perspective.  rare  remnant  of  geologi-  tion in protecting and pre-
                                                                      The  ground  on  which  we  cal history, as they provide  serving our coral reefs. So, if
                                                                      have  walked  many  times  a clear view of how these  you are ever visiting one of
                                                                      in  the  northern  part  of  the  reefs have formed.      the bocas or driving along
                                                                      island hold such rich history,                            the northern part of the is-
                                                                      history  that  dates  back  to  This  research  is  also  im-  land,  please  be  conscious
                                                                      a time that most of us can-  portant  for  the  future  of  to  help  protect  our  natu-
                                                                      not  even  imagine.  As  the  coral  reefs  on  the  island.  ral  historical  remnant.  Oh,
                                                                      scientists  themselves  have  By  studying  rising  sea  lev-  and  wear  (coral-friendly)
                                                                      pointed out, these fossilized  els and climate impact on  sunscreen!q
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