Palusami
Coconut cream baked in taro leaves
Think of it as: Like creamed spinach in its own edible wrapper
Coconut cream lava inside a leaf parcel.
What does it taste like?
Rich, slightly sweet coconut cream with soft, spinach-like leaves.
SweetSpicySourSaltyFunkSmellTextureMelty and soft
What is it?
Taro leaves wrapped around coconut cream and onion, then baked. It's a Samoan Sunday feast dish, traditionally cooked in an umu, an earth oven heated with hot stones.Source: Wikipedia
How locals eat it
Served at to'ona'i, the big Sunday lunch after church, with taro or breadfruit.
Watch it
EnglishTap to play (YouTube)Where is it from?
🇼🇸Samoa
CapitalApia
Populationabout 220,000estimate (unverified)
IndustriesTourism, Fishing, Remittances from abroad
Famous peopleAlbert WendtWriter and pioneer of Pacific literature
HelloTalofa (Samoan)
CurrencyTālā
Fun factIn 2011 it hopped west across the International Date Line, skipping December 30 entirely.
The flag🇼🇸 A red field with a blue canton carrying the Southern Cross.
From Tokyoabout 7,500 kmstraight line, Tokyo to Apia
Getting thereAbout 15+ hours (with connections)rough guide
✈ Check cheap flights Best timeMay to October, the dry season. Also tryOka (raw fish in coconut)Sapasui (Samoan chop suey)Panikeke (fried dough balls)
✈ Check cheap flights Best timeMay to October, the dry season. Also tryOka (raw fish in coconut)Sapasui (Samoan chop suey)Panikeke (fried dough balls)
🇼🇸 Sounds & life in Samoa
TalofaHello（Talofa (Samoan)）
Latin alphabet
Latin alphabet
Right now…
AnthemThe Banner of Freedom
SportRugby National animalManumea (tooth-billed pigeon) National flowerTeuila (red ginger) FestivalTeuila Festival (September)
SportRugby National animalManumea (tooth-billed pigeon) National flowerTeuila (red ginger) FestivalTeuila Festival (September)
Ingredients
- Taro leaves (or spinach) 20
- Coconut cream 400 ml
- Onion 1
- Salt, a pinch
- Corned beef, optional, 1 can
- Foil
Can't find it? Taro leaves → large spinach or collard leaves.
How to make it (one way)
- Chop the onion and mix with coconut cream and salt
- Layer several taro leaves into a cup shape
- Pour in the coconut cream (add corned beef if you like)
- Fold the leaves closed and wrap in banana leaf or foil
- Bake in an umu or at 180°C for about 1 hour
⚠️ Raw taro leaves contain compounds that make your mouth itch — always cook them thoroughly.
Get the ingredients (ad)
coconut creamAmazon