Umu (Samoan Baked Feast – Home Version)

Experience the authentic flavors of Samoan island cooking with Umu, a traditional feast prepared over hot stones in an earth oven. This home-style version recreates the smoky, tender meat and creamy coconut vegetables using a regular oven, making it accessible while staying close to the original spirit of the dish.

Ingredients

For the meat and vegetables

• 800 g–1 kg chicken pieces (thighs or drumsticks)
• 500–700 g pork belly or fatty pork chunks (optional but traditional)
• 500 g taro, sweet potatoes, or regular potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2–3 green bananas or plantains, peeled
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

For the coconut mixture (sauce & palusami-style packets)

• 400 ml coconut milk
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1–2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
• A pinch of salt
• A squeeze of lemon or lime juice (optional)
• A handful of spinach or other soft greens (to mimic taro leaves for palusami)

For wrapping & baking

• Banana leaves (if available) or baking parchment
• Aluminum foil

Instructions

1. Prepare the Meat and Vegetables

   Season the chicken and pork generously with salt and black pepper. Arrange the taro/sweet potato chunks and green bananas on a tray, lightly salt them as well.

2. Make the Coconut Mixture

   In a bowl, combine coconut milk, chopped onion, garlic, a pinch of salt and a little lemon/lime juice if using. Taste and adjust the salt; it should be pleasantly savory, as it will flavor the vegetables and greens.

3. Make Palusami-Style Packets

   Place a small handful of spinach (or other soft greens) in the center of a piece of banana leaf or baking parchment. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the coconut mixture over the greens. Fold into a tight packet and then wrap each packet in foil to seal in the coconut sauce.

4. Assemble the “Umu” in the Oven

   Preheat the oven to 180–190°C. In a large roasting pan, place the meat (chicken and pork), taro/sweet potatoes, and green bananas. Pour some of the remaining coconut mixture lightly over the taro/sweet potatoes. Add the wrapped palusami-style packets on top or alongside everything else in the pan. Cover the entire pan tightly with foil to trap the heat and steam.

5. Bake

   Bake for about 2–2.5 hours, or until the meat is very tender and the taro/sweet potatoes are soft and creamy inside. For a bit of browning, you can remove the foil for the last 15–20 minutes.

6. Serve

   Carefully open the foil packets: the greens should be soft and bathed in rich coconut cream. Serve the meat, root vegetables, and green bananas together on a large platter, with the coconut greens (palusami-style) on the side or on top.

Serving

Serve Umu hot as a shared family meal. You can enjoy it with:

• Extra coconut milk or coconut cream drizzled on top
• Fresh tomato and onion salad
• Rice or flatbread

The combination of tender meat, creamy coconut vegetables, and soft greens is what makes Samoan Umu a true feast.