Melanesian cuisine

Melanesian cuisine refers to the culinary traditions and practices of the Melanesian people. Melanesians are the predominant inhabitants of Melanesia, a group of islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, including New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia.

Overview

Melanesian cuisine primarily consists of root vegetables such as taro and yam, fruits, leafy vegetables, fish, and pork. The traditional Melanesian diet is low in fat and high in fiber, and includes a wide variety of plant foods and a moderate amount of animal foods.

Cooking Methods

Traditional Melanesian cooking methods include boiling, baking, roasting, and steaming. A common traditional cooking method is the earth oven, also known as a mumu in Papua New Guinea, which is used for large feasts. Food is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked over hot stones in a pit in the ground.

Common Dishes

Common dishes in Melanesian cuisine include laplap, a dish from Vanuatu made from grated yam, banana, or taro, mixed with coconut cream and baked in banana leaves; and kakoda, a Fijian dish made with raw fish marinated in citrus juice and coconut milk.

Influence

Melanesian cuisine has been influenced by other cultures, particularly Polynesian and European. This is reflected in the use of ingredients such as sweet potato, introduced by the Polynesians, and chicken, introduced by the Europeans.

See Also

• Polynesian cuisine
• Micronesian cuisine
• Indonesian cuisine
• Australian cuisine