User:Reginamabia/How to prepare a Mumu - the Papua New Guinea Way

Objectives

At the end of this lesson,you can:

• prepare and cook a mumu
• enjoy the delicious meal you prepared
• teach someone else the recipe

Introduction

A mumu is a traditional Papua New Guinean way of cooking food over the open fire, usually in a pit with hot stones over the covered food.

In different parts of PNG, mumus are prepared diffently.For example, in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea,after the stones are hot and ready,the banana leaves are put first around the pit before the peeled vegatables and protein go in.This is done to prevent the dirt from getting to the food. without wrapping the food in a parcel.The Tolais of East New Britain province do the opposite.They wrap the food first before it goes into the pit. Therefore, mumus prepared by the coastal people of PNG differ slightly from the way the Highlanders do.

My presentation will be on how the Tolai Mumu is prepared.

Activity

Ingredients

• Taro,bananas,kaukau(sweet potatoes),yams,etc
• Protein,any kind of raw meat-pork, beef,lamb,chichen,etc.)
• Spices, like ginger,garlic,and onion
• Salt
• Curry powder (if available)
• Dry coconuts (at least 5 or 6)

Other Requirements

• Banana leaves (at least 6 big ones,without holes/tear).If there are no leaves, use aluminium foil instead
• Medium size river stones (a pile)
• tongs (should be strong and long enough to pick up hot stones)
• Coconut scraper
• Coconut strainer
• Firewood (make sure there is enough to heat up the stones)

Preparation Procedures

1. Peel,wash and chop the vegetables into desired sizes(taro,kaukau,yams,bananas,etc)
2. Wash and chop the spices.
3. Wash and chop the meat into desired sizes
4. Break open the dry coconuts.Srape the coconut into a dish or bowl
5. Prepare the banana leaves by heating them briefly over the open fire.Remove the