Mumu

Instructions

1. 1 If cooking traditionally, heat river stones or volcanic rocks in a large fire for two to three hours until glowing red. Dig a pit and line with banana leaves. For oven adaptation, preheat to 180C and use Dutch ovens wrapped in foil as a substitute.
2. 2 Season the meat with salt and wrap in banana leaves. Place the greens in banana leaves with coconut cream poured over them, wrapping into a sealed parcel. Wrap the sweet potatoes and taro together in another banana leaf package.
3. 3 Layer the hot stones in the lined pit. Place the meat package directly on the stones first as it needs the most intense heat. Stack the root vegetable packages next, then the greens package on top where the heat is gentlest.
4. 4 Cover everything with additional banana leaves, then wet burlap sacking or heavy cloth, and finally a thick layer of earth to seal in all the heat and steam. The sealed environment creates a pressurised steaming chamber.
5. 5 Cook for three to four hours without disturbing. The combination of radiant heat from the stones and trapped steam slowly cooks everything to perfect tenderness. For oven method, cook in sealed Dutch ovens with a cup of water at 180C for three hours.
6. 6 Carefully remove the earth and coverings. The banana leaves will be darkened and the food inside will be steaming and incredibly tender. Unwrap each package at the communal gathering, allowing the aromatic steam to greet the assembled guests.
7. 7 Arrange the mumu food on large banana leaves for communal serving. The meat should be fall-apart tender, the root vegetables creamy and sweet, and the coconut-braised greens silky. This earth-oven feast is the centrepiece of celebrations across Papua New Guinea.