Traditional Tongan cooking and food: coconuts and the Umu

pork

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: beef

Chicken is leaner and more affordable than pork.

coconut cream

🥗Healthier: coconut milk

💰Cheaper: evaporated milk

Coconut milk is lighter and less expensive.

Discuss the importance of the coconut palm in Polynesian life.

Explain that coconut milk is a nourishing beverage and is dried into copra for cooking oil.

Describe basic staple dishes including taro leaf mixed with onion and corn beef.

Wrap the mixture in a banana leaf and add coconut milk last.

Place the wrapped bundles in a preheated umu (underground oven) along with tarroot or yams.

Cover the umu with banana leaves and old mats to retain heat.

After several hours, remove the bundles from the umu and open them to reveal the dishes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens