Papua New Guinea

 Welcome to Papua New Guinea! Honestly, we did this meal back in October.  But life has happened and I am just now getting around to posting!  Thanks for sticking around.  Papua New Guinea is an island in the Pacific that is home to rain forests, coral reefs, and beautiful oceans.  It is also home to one of the only confirmed poisonous bird in the world: the Hooded Pitohui.  Who knew!  It is also the most linguistically-diverse country with over 800 languages!  We have some friends that are looking at moving to this  country with their family - please pray for the Lord's direction and provision as they navigate this change!  According to Google, the population is 10,576,502 people and the capital is Port Moresby.  Their national dish is...

Mumu!

Sounds like something you wear...nope!  It's a dish that is usually cooked underground in banana leaves.  I didn't dig up my yard to cook this, but I did make it in my dutch oven! To go with the Mumu we made Coconut Kau Kau,  Together it was an odd dish, but there was something comforting about it.  I wasn't sure that it was all going to fit in my dutch oven, so if you make this, make sure you have a big size!  Here's what I did:

MUMU

1 large Banana Leaf for cooking only (not edible)
2 bunches Kale
2 Taro roots Peeled and cut up
2 Green plantains peeled and cut up
2 Sweet potatoes peeled and cut up
2 lbs Chicken boneless skinless thighs, cut into bite size pieces
2 lbs Pork belly cut into bite size pieces
1 Pineapple cut into bite size pieces
1 can Coconut milk
2 Limes cut into wedges
1 tbsp Salt

1. In a large Dutch oven, place a layer of banana leaf.
2. On the banana leaf, place a layer of kale leaves.
3. Place the root vegetables and plantains on top of the kale.
4. Place the pork and chicken on top of the root vegetables.
5. Sprinkle the salt over the meat.
6. Put the pineapple on top of the meat.
7. Squeeze the lime quarters and throw them in as well after squeezing.
8. Pour the coconut milk over the entire pot.
9. Cover with the remaining kale and cover with the rest of the banana leaf.
10. Cover with a lid and place in the oven for at least an hour, or until the meat is cooked and vegetables are tender.
11. Serve hot and enjoy!

(Source: Mumu and Mumu)

COCONUT KAU KAU

2 sweet potatoes (kaukau)

4 tbsp butter, diced

3 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 C coconut cream

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated

2 tbsp orange juice

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1. Rinse the sweet potatoes, then wrap each of them in aluminum foil.
2. Bake in preheated 400F oven for 1 hour or until cooked through.
3. Cut sweet potatoes in two lengthwise.
4. Scoop out about 3/4 of the sweet potatoes with a spoon into a bowl.
5. Immediately add the butter to the bowl with the insides of the sweet potato. 
6. Add salt and pepper, and mash with a fork to get a smooth purée.
7. Set the skins of the half hollowed sweet potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Add the coconut cream, onion, garlic, ginger and orange juice to the mashed sweet potatoes. Mix well.
9. Fill the hollowed half sweet potatoes with the mashed mixture.
10. Bake in the oven for another 5 minutes before serving.
11. Enjoy!

(Source: Coconut Kau Kau)

The verdict?  I really enjoyed this meal.  It was a comforting meal with lots of good flavors.  I was surprised that in the Mumu, there weren't any spices added except salt, but there was still a lot of flavor in the dish.  We really liked the Kau Kau - the ginger was a very nice addition to the sweet potato!  However, I think the recipe called for too much liquid and butter.  The inside was almost a thick soup, and did not set up.  The taste was great, but the filling didn't stay in the skins.  However, overall it was a nice meal.

 

 

 

 

 

ME

Taste of Mumu (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Mumu (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

ME

Taste of Coconut Kau Kau (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Coconut Kau Kau (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

Another country in the books!  Join us next time in Benin!