Whole chicken rubbed with garlic and wrapped in banana leaves, slow-cooked in the traditional Samoan umu earth oven until incredibly tender and smoky.
Nutrition & Info
Equipment Needed
Presentation Guide
Instructions
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1
Clean and pat dry the chicken. Rub inside and out with crushed garlic, soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
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2
Stuff cavity with quartered onion.
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3
Wrap chicken tightly in banana leaves, then in aluminum foil.
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4
If using umu, place among hot stones and cover. If using oven, bake at 170C for 2.5 hours.
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5
Unwrap carefully, allowing steam to escape. The chicken should be falling-off-the-bone tender.
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6
Serve with taro and coconut cream.
Did You Know?
The umu is lit before dawn on Sundays in Samoan villages, and the whole community participates in preparing the stones and food.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- umu or conventional oven
- banana leaves
- aluminum foil
Garnishing
fresh herbs, lime wedges
Accompaniments
steamed taro, coconut cream
The Story Behind Moa Umu
The umu earth oven is the oldest and most sacred cooking method in Polynesian culture. In Samoa, it remains central to Sunday feasts and ceremonies. Men traditionally prepare and tend the umu, heating volcanic rocks with fire and layering food between banana leaves for slow, even cooking.
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