Pictured: Cookbook contributors Micah Arreak, Annie Désilets, Glenda Kripanik, Kanadaise Uyarasuk, and Lucy Kappianaq (not featured in photo).
Niqiliurniq: Recipes from Igloolik is a beautiful compilation of recipes from Iglulingmiutthat (people of Nunavut) that inspires diversity in food selection and encourages people to cook from scratch. This cookbook will be released in the fall, but we couldn’t wait to share another recipe with our readers! In a previous issue, we shared a recipe that used a main ingredient from the sea, arctic char, this time we turn to the land for a recipe made with Tuktu (caribou). This traditional recipe is handson, with few steps and packed with flavour. Mamariniaqpattuq (enjoy)!
ALU
Preparation time: 45 minutes | Serves: many people!
This preparation is traditional, a link to the past. It’s made of animal fat mixed with mammal oil and a filling. It has a smooth and silky texture, which gives it the name “Inuit Dream Whip,” or “Inuit ice cream” when frozen! This certainly requires a lot of work, first to harvest the ingredients, then to mix it with the hands until it reaches the desired fluffiness, but this delicious treat is perfect for celebration days or to use as a burst of energy on a land trip.
INGREDIENTS
4 cups caribou fat, without blood or muscle on it
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup oil; can be vegetable oil, or seal or narwhal blubber, melted
FILLINGS OF YOUR CHOICE
Berries
Frozen caribou, sliced and chopped
Fish eggs
STEPS
Dice caribou fat into very small pieces and place into a bowl. Stir the fat with fingers until it becomes white, smooth and doubles in volume. Add water and oil, alternating between the two, a few drops at a time, and stir using your hands to increase the fluffiness. Be patient; it can take a while. (You can use an electric mixer to speed up the process!) If the oil starts to build up, stop pouring and whisk briskly until the oil has fully incorporated. If it looks too thick, slowly add more water, one teaspoon at a time. Add the filling of your choice. Eat right away or freeze it before eating.
TIPS
This recipe is an emulsion, like a mayonnaise, which is a mixture of two liquids that can’t usually be combined—in this case, oil and water. Emulsifying is done by slowly adding one ingredient to the other while mixing rapidly. In this process, the tiny drops of liquid are dispersed and suspended through each other.
