Mumu
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This is a westernised version of rural food from Papua New Guinea.
Slowly cooked layers of meat, poultry, fruit and vegetables.
Quantities are not specified below, (this is real cooking), but you will need approximately
- 150 gm root vegetables
- 125 gm pork flesh
- 150 gm fruit
- 125 gm poultry
- 150 gm green veg
This recipe contains the following types of ingredient: meat and poultry; plants and fungi.
Ingredients
Method
Notes
Mumu is a slowly cooked layered dish, and within that context it can be almost whatever you have available. In the forests of Papua New Guinea, it would probably be whatever you could catch.
The layers should be, from bottom to top:
- Root vegetables
- Pork flesh
- Fruit
- Poultry flesh
- Green vegetables
All of which should be embellished with herbs and spices as available, made succulent by the addition of coconut cream, and wrapped in green leaves to trap the flavours
Preparation
Prepare all meat and veg and fruit in the normal way, trimming off unwanted peel or bits as necessary.
Assembly
Add herbs and or spices at each layer according to your taste.
Lightly oil a large metal casserole dish (Le Creuset = perfect).
Line with spinach leaves or grape vine leaves.
Make a layer of root veg, hardest at the bottom.
Make a layer of pork.
Make a layer of fruit.
Make a layer of poultry.
Make a layer of green vegetables.
Add in the coconut cream / milk.
Cover all with more spinach leaves.
Cooking
Cover and place the casserole over a medium flame to bring the juices up to cooking temperature (15 mins).
This dish is not stirred, ever.
Turn the flame down to the lowest setting, very gently simmer for 45 mins.
Move the casserole to the oven, bake at gas mark 1 (140 °C; 275 °F), (slow) for 5 hours.
To serve
Serve hot from the casserole.
Variations
Within the concept, vary what you include. Be creative, take a risk, but do ensure that the animal protein is properly cooked and tender.