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Lu pulu (lu pulu): recipe illustration
Everyday meals

Lu pulu (lu pulu)

Iconic Tongan dish: taro leaves slowly simmered in coconut milk with corned beef and onions, until you get a tender, creamy stew. It is served at festive meals and family gatherings.

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Ingredients

Ingredients

Spices & seasoning

Optional extras

On the side

Instructions

  1. Remove the thick stems from the taro leaves, wash them thoroughly and drain.
  2. Thinly slice the onions and garlic. Fry them in the oil for 5 minutes until translucent.
  3. Add the crumbled corned beef and brown it for 5 minutes, mashing it with a spoon.
  4. Add the taro leaves by handfuls, pressing them down into the pan as you go.
  5. Pour in the coconut milk, season and cover. Simmer gently for 1 h 15, stirring now and then, until the leaves are very tender and the sauce is well combined.
  6. Adjust the seasoning and serve hot with rice.

Variations and tips

Vegetarian version. Replace the corned beef with mashed cooked chickpeas and add a pinch of smoked paprika.

Using what's available here. Fresh spinach works very well instead of taro leaves, with a slightly shorter cooking time.

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Original Ecomely recipe.