Lu pulu
Corned beef and coconut in taro leaves
Think of it as: Like a corned beef hash baked in creamed spinach
Canned corned beef, promoted to feast food.
What does it taste like?
Salty, savory corned beef melting into sweet coconut cream. Rich and heavy.
SweetSpicySourSaltyFunkSmellTextureSoft and melty
What is it?
Taro leaves wrapped around corned beef, onion and coconut cream, then baked until meltingly soft. "Lu" means leaf and "pulu" means beef. It shows up at every Tongan celebration.
How locals eat it
Served at weddings and Sunday meals with boiled taro or yam.
Watch it
EnglishTap to play (YouTube)Where is it from?
🇹🇴Tonga
CapitalNukuʻalofa
Populationabout 100,000estimate (unverified)
IndustriesFarming (squash, vanilla), Fishing, Remittances from abroad
Famous peopleQueen Sālote Tupou IIIQueen who won hearts riding in the rain at the 1953 coronation in London
HelloMālō e lelei (Tongan)
CurrencyPaʻanga
And JapanTongan rugby players star for Japanese clubs and the Japan national team.
Fun factA kingdom that was never colonized.
The flag🇹🇴 A red field with a white canton and red cross, a symbol of Christian faith.
From Tokyoabout 7,900 kmstraight line, Tokyo to Nukuʻalofa
Getting thereAbout 15+ hours (with connections)rough guide
✈ Check cheap flights Best timeMay to October, the dry season. Also tryʻOta ʻika (raw fish in coconut)ʻUmu (earth-oven feast)Faikakai (sweet dumplings)
✈ Check cheap flights Best timeMay to October, the dry season. Also tryʻOta ʻika (raw fish in coconut)ʻUmu (earth-oven feast)Faikakai (sweet dumplings)
🇹🇴 Sounds & life in Tonga
Mālō e leleiHello（Mālō e lelei (Tongan)）
Latin alphabet
Latin alphabet
Right now…
AnthemKo e fasi ʻo e tuʻi ʻo e ʻOtu Tonga
SportRugby
Pita Taufatofua (taekwondo and more, the famously shirtless Olympic flag bearer) National flowerHeilala FestivalHeilala Festival (around July)
SportRugby
Pita Taufatofua (taekwondo and more, the famously shirtless Olympic flag bearer) National flowerHeilala FestivalHeilala Festival (around July)
Ingredients
- Taro leaves (or spinach) 20
- Corned beef 1 can
- Coconut cream 400 ml
- Onion 1
- Salt, a pinch
- Foil
Can't find it? Taro leaves → spinach or collard greens.
How to make it (one way)
- Slice the onion and mix it with coconut cream
- Spread overlapping taro leaves on foil
- Add the corned beef and pour over the coconut cream
- Fold the leaves and foil to seal
- Bake in an umu or at 180°C for about 1.5 hours
⚠️ Raw taro leaves make your mouth itch — cook them thoroughly.
Get the ingredients (ad)
coconut creamAmazon