Deforestation Spears with Sour Palm
Based on:
TypeSide dish
Serves4 people
DateSeptember 25, 2026
Chopped vegetable trunks with a sharp palm oil dip, an edible protest against deforestation.
Long, spicy-sour vegetables form chopped tree trunks in a stack, with a sharp palm oil dip. The dish depicts Papua's deforestation: each carrot or beet is a fallen tree, the dip symbolizes the bitter palm oil dilemma. Two flavors pull: sour and sharp.
Ingredients
- 4 medium carrots
- 2 thin red beets
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 red onion
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 red chili pepper
- 4 tbsp (sustainable) palm oil or sunflower oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- salt to taste
Method
- Peel the carrots and beets, cut into long, half sticks about 10 cm.
- Cut the cucumbers into the same shape.
- Slice the red onion into thin half rings.
- In a bowl, mix lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, finely chopped chili, grated ginger, and a pinch of salt into a dressing.
- Place the vegetable sticks in the dressing and let marinate for 20 minutes.
- Heat the palm oil with the chopped garlic until lightly golden, let cool.
- Arrange the vegetable sticks diagonally in a stack on the plate, like felled tree trunks.
- Drizzle the oil over the vegetables and serve the rest as a dip on the side.
Serving notes
- Serve on a rectangular board for a felled forest effect.
- Garnish with extra chili for added tension.