Palusami Recipe: Fijian Taro Leaves Baked in Coconut Cream
, by Domalco, 2 min reading time
Parcels of rourou (taro leaves) filled with lolo (coconut cream), onion and corned beef, baked until soft and rich. Made in your oven, no lovo needed.
Photo: wood chen / Unsplash
Palusami (taro-leaf parcels baked in coconut cream) is one of Fiji's best-loved dishes. Young rourou (taro leaves) are filled with lolo (coconut cream), onion and often corned beef, wrapped up and cooked until the leaves melt into a rich, silky parcel. It's traditionally cooked in the lovo (earth oven), but it works beautifully in a home oven too.
Fijian words in this recipe
- palusami (taro-leaf parcels in coconut cream)
- rourou (taro leaves)
- dalo (taro, the plant and root)
- lolo (coconut cream)
- niu (coconut)
- rokete (chilli)
- drau ni vudi (banana leaves)
Ingredients
Makes 8 parcels · Prep 30 min · Cook 1½ hours
- 24–32 young rourou (taro leaves), stalks removed
- 2 cups thick lolo (coconut cream), fresh or tinned
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 1 tin (340 g) corned beef, or tuna or cooked chicken (optional)
- 1–2 rokete (chillies), chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 squares of foil (about 30 cm), and banana leaves if you have them
Method
- Heat the oven to 180°C.
- Make the filling. In a bowl, mix the lolo, onion, chilli and salt.
- Make a leaf cup. Stack 3–4 rourou leaves, shiny side down, in the palm of your hand so they form a cup.
- Fill. Add 2 tablespoons of corned beef, then pour in about ¼ cup of the coconut mixture.
- Wrap. Fold the leaves over to close the parcel. Place it on a square of banana leaf (if using) and then foil, and twist the foil closed at the top.
- Bake. Place the parcels on a baking tray and bake for 1 to 1½ hours, until the leaves are completely soft and dark green.
- Serve in the foil with dalo (taro), tavioka (cassava) or rice.
Important: Always cook rourou thoroughly. Undercooked taro leaves contain calcium oxalate crystals that make your mouth and throat itch. Long, slow cooking in coconut cream makes them safe and delicious.
How to make fresh lolo
Grate 3–4 dry coconuts with a coconut scraper. Add about ½ cup of warm water per coconut, knead, then squeeze through a cloth to get thick lolo.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use spinach instead of taro leaves?
Silverbeet or large spinach leaves can be used outside Fiji, but the taste and texture won't be quite the same as rourou.
Can I freeze palusami?
Yes. Freeze cooked parcels in their foil for up to 2 months and reheat in the oven.
Get your kitchen ready at Domalco
Find coconut scrapers, stainless steel trays and bakeware at our Ba and Lautoka stores, or shop online with free delivery on orders over $100.
Try next: Rourou in lolo · How to prepare a lovo