Palu Sami is a popular Pacific Island dish made with tender corned beef and onions in coconut cream sauce wrapped in taro leaves
Honestly the first time I tried this it was like heaven on a plate, the salty tender corned beef in coconut cream sauce is a perfect viand to any steamed rice, its salty, its fatty, its meaty and very savoury, it’s a simple dish that is quite easy to prepare. This dish is common in the Pacific Islands where it can be found in Fiji, Samoa, Tuvalu and even in Hawaii. Usually made with taro leaf with some fillings like corned beef, fish, shrimps and just onions, it is then cooked and baked in the umu / imu.
My Samoan colleague introduced me to this dish and I was so grateful, as this one goes in my top ten dishes I like of all time. Since then me and my other colleagues ask her to order one but today we will be making it at home and see how it compares.
In a pan melt butter in low heat and cook onions until tender.
Add the corned beef and coconut milk and cook for 5 minutes.
Place some taro leaves on a flat surface then place cooked corned beef on top, wrap the corned beef with the remaining taro leaves. Place wrapped corned beef in an aluminium foil then wrap to cover tightly, bake in a 180C preheated oven for 45 minutes then serve.
I was at a party where this was served and i was told the taro leaves need to be cooked for an extended period of time because they are toxic when raw. Do you know if this is true and how long they need to cook?
Im not sure about the toxicity, but one thing for sure we eat a similar dish a lot and its primarily more on taro than meat (not this dish, its called laing). I had tried different textures from mushy to still hard, so far I am still alive đŸ™‚ Anyways I think 45 minutes is more than enough.
If the taro leaves aren’t cooked long enough, it can make your throat itchy. Same thing with preparing taro, make sure to wash your hands after peeling and cutting it, so you aren’t itchy. Great recipe!!!
It sure looks like to die for!
This is Lupulu, a Tongan dish. Palusami, is a Samoan dish without the corned beef. palu sami is taro leaves and coconut milk mix. Both, yummy!!!!
Thanks for the valuable info!
I was at a party where this was served and i was told the taro leaves need to be cooked for an extended period of time because they are toxic when raw. Do you know if this is true and how long they need to cook?
Im not sure about the toxicity, but one thing for sure we eat a similar dish a lot and its primarily more on taro than meat (not this dish, its called laing). I had tried different textures from mushy to still hard, so far I am still alive đŸ™‚ Anyways I think 45 minutes is more than enough.
If the taro leaves aren’t cooked long enough, it can make your throat itchy. Same thing with preparing taro, make sure to wash your hands after peeling and cutting it, so you aren’t itchy. Great recipe!!!