Lu Sipi (Tongan Lamb and Coconut Cream in Taro Leaves)
Local name: Lu sipi
In short: Lamb, onion and coconut cream sealed in taro leaf parcels and baked slowly until tender, a Tongan feast dish made here in foil. It takes about 2 h 30 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 2 h
- Resting
- 10 min
- Total
- 2 h 30 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 490 kcal
Lu is the dish most associated with Tongan feasts. Young taro leaves are wrapped around coconut cream, onion and meat, then sealed into parcels and cooked for hours in the 'umu until the meat falls apart and the leaves turn silky. Lu sipi uses lamb, whose fat melts into the cream. This oven version uses foil to hold in the steam, so the parcels cook slowly and come out rich, savory and tender.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Toss the lamb with the salt and half of the onion.
- Lay a double layer of foil on the counter. Overlap 4 taro leaves, vein side up, to make a deep cup. Add 2 tablespoons of coconut cream, one sixth of the lamb, a sprinkle of the remaining onion and another 2 tablespoons of cream.
- Fold the leaves over to enclose the filling and cover with a fifth leaf. Wrap tightly in the foil, sealing the seams so the cream cannot leak. Repeat to make 6 parcels.
- Set the parcels on a baking tray and bake for 2 hours, until the lamb is fork-tender, well above 63°C (145°F), and the leaves are completely soft.
- Rest for 10 minutes. Open the foil carefully, away from your face, and serve with the creamy juices spooned over.
Tips
- Lamb breast, often sold as flaps, is the traditional cut and its fat melts into the cream. Shoulder is leaner, so leave a little of its fat on the meat.
- Taro leaves must be cooked until completely soft, or they cause an itchy throat. Spinach or silverbeet can replace them, though the texture will be softer. Swap the lamb for canned corned beef to make lu pulu.
Questions and answers
What does lu mean?
Lu is the Tongan word for taro leaves and also the name of the dish made by wrapping them around coconut cream and meat. Lu sipi uses lamb, and lu pulu uses canned corned beef.
Can I make lu in a regular oven?
Yes. Foil parcels in a 170°C (340°F) oven trap steam in much the same way as the earth oven, though without the smoky flavor.
What is served with lu?
Boiled root crops such as yam ('ufi), taro and cassava are the usual partners, and plain rice works too.
How long does it take to make Lu Sipi (Tongan Lamb and Coconut Cream in Taro Leaves)?
About 2 h 30 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 2 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Lu Sipi (Tongan Lamb and Coconut Cream in Taro Leaves)?
About 490 kcal per serving, with 26 g of protein, 13 g of carbohydrates and 37 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 490 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 26 g |
| Carbohydrates | 13 g |
| Fat | 37 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 480 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
