Page 16 - HOH

Monday 22 SepteMber 2025 locAl
A8

Dining in? Try making some local favorites!

How to make “pan bati” and “funchi”

ready, place on a plate and cover
with a clean kitchen towel.

Traditionally, pan bati is cut in tri-
angle pieces, and is often eaten
as a side dish with soup, fried fish
or stews. However, it is also casu-
ally enjoyed with some butter and
cheese on top!
(Oranjestad)—If you’re ever up
for an Aruban snack, try making One of the most famous Aruban
another Aruban classic appetizer snacks or appetizers is “funchi
called Pan Bati. Similar to a pan- hasa” (fried polenta sticks). A su-
cake both in appearance and per easy meal that adults and chil-
cooking, this is a super easy meal dren will both enjoy. Here’s how to
that adults and children will both make it!
enjoy. Here’s how to make it!
Before we start, get to know the
Ingredients: basics
2 cups of all purpose flour So what is funchi hasa? Funchi, or harden pretty fast, so be careful mixture does not stick to the bot-
1 cup grams of fine cornmeal Aruban polenta, is a popular side not to add too much. At this phase tom. Let this cool completely while
(we recommend the Harina PAN dish for local dishes, like soups, of cooking, you want a goopy it firms up for the last time. Once
brand) stews and fried fish. Made from a thick mixture, but thin enough so it’s cooled you can enjoy it as is,
2 tbsp baking powder corn flour, water and butter mix- you can continue to stir to get all topped with some butter or shred-
1 1/3 cup of milk ture, this appetizer is traditionally the lumps out. ded cheese. Or, you can take it to
1 pinch of salt eaten alongside a warm meal. After reaching a semi-firm, yet flex- another level of deliciousness.
2 tbsp of granulated sugar However, locals also like to fry ible texture, grab a baking pan or
Oil for cooking sticks of funchi for a quick and fill- any large, deep plate, and pour When your funchi is firm enough,
ing snack. the mixture in. Be sure that this cut it into strips (size is up to you).

Instructions: plate is wet or greased so that the Heat up some oil in a pan and fry
Add all the dry ingredients in a Ingredients (measured by heart) those babies up! After frying, you
bowl first, and stir until well mixed. 1. Polenta flour* can top it with some cheese or
Then add the milk and beat until 2. Water enjoy it with your favorite dipping
reached a pancake-like consisten- 3. Butter sauce.
cy. If more moister is needed, add 4. Salt to taste
some water until reached desired Note: We recommend the FUNCHI
consistency. Directions FRESKU polenta flour brand that is
Bring water to a boil in a medium- sold in all supermarkets on the is-

In a hot pan with oil, pour in enough sized sauce pan. Add in some salt land. You can also use yellow corn
batter to cover the bottom of the and butter to taste in the boiling flour from the brand PAN.q
pan. Just like pancakes, flip the water and let this dissolve and
pan bati when one side turns gold- melt. Then, gradually add the flour Photo credit of fried funchi sticks: Jac-
en brown. When your pan bati is while stirring with a wooden spoon. queline Felida on Pinterest.
The mixture will start to begin to

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

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