Rourou — Taro Leaves in Coconut Milk
I
Origin
Fijian
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Description
Fresh taro leaves are washed, stems removed, and simmered in coconut milk until completely tender and the coconut has reduced into a rich sauce. Salt, sometimes garlic and onion. The leaves break down into a dark, glossy, creamy mass that resembles creamed spinach but with a deeper, more mineral flavour. Served as a side dish with grilled fish, lovo meats, or simply with cassava or rice.
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The Thread
—Rourou is the weeknight version of palusami. Same ingredients, simplified technique.
—In Hawaiʻi, the same preparation gains squid and becomes squid lūʻau. The protein enriches but does not replace the leaf.
—The taro plant provides these leaves, the root for poi, and the corm for planting at the next stop on the trail. One plant. Three products. Five thousand years of service.
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Flavour Context
Not yet written for this entry.
Pillars V — VII
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