Juuluum Food

When Christmas morning rolls around all you can see in the neighbourhood is white smoke. The white smoke resembles that the lovo is on.

Lovo is a type of cooking that involves cooking food underground. The process of cooking underground takes some effort .But the effort is all worth it when the food comes out of the lovo.

First a circle is dug in their back yard depending on the amount of food that will be cooked for the family and friends. It averages about five feet by five feet and depth wise approximately about 3 feet .Once again it depends on the number of family and friends that are going to feast LOL.

Once the hole is prepared firewood is placed in the hole and lit up. As the fire gets larger and all the wood is lit stones are thrown in the fire to heat it up. The stones need to be of a certain type or they would start to crack.

This is very important because it can be very dangerous with flying fragments. The stones need to be very hot from the fire as this is what will cook your delicious feast.

Once the flame dies down and wood has become charcoal spread the stones evenly.

Once they are spread evenly shredded palm leave stocks are placed on them then food which are wrapped in foil or some without wraps are places on the stems. You can put many things in the pit.

Some foods cooked in the lovo are, fish, whole pigs, lamb chops, taro, cassava, chicken, sweet potatoes and my favourite Paula Sami. The meats and vegetables can be flavoured before cooking to whichever way you wish.

Once food is placed in the lovo it is covered by banana leaves, and then wet sacks and sealed with the dirt that is from the pit that has been dug out.

Cooking times vary depending on the amount which you are cooking. Usually 3 to 5 hrs. minimum. Once time has lapsed the soils cleared banana leaves moved carefully and chow chow is ready LOL. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Here in Vancouver I cook paulsami, cassava during the festive season but I use my oven. As we all aware of fire hazard and restrictions safety is first. So here it is Paulsami and cassava two of my favourite island dishes cooked Canadian way by a Fijian boy LOL.

This is just a simple guideline for lovo but many variations are found throughout the island.

Fijian Paulsami and Cassava

Mains : A bundle of Fijian taro leaves,6 cloves of garlic, small can of coconut cream, 2 whole onions, can of mutton,1 lemon, small chilli ,salt to taste and 4 pieces of thawed cassava

You can use can fish, beef or any can meat of your choice.

Preparation: Wash taro leaves and cassava .Peel the garlic and just flatten with knife and leave them whole.
Cut onion in chunks and squeeze the juice from the lemon and put aside.

On a large sheet of foil lay the taro leaves evenly like making a circle. This is very important as you don’t want the coconut cream to fall out of the leaves.

Once you have the leaves all nice placed in a circle and on top of each other cut the can of mutton open and place on the leaves evenly but making a small hole in the middle where you would pour the coconut cream.

Place the onions garlic and chilli evenly on the mutton. Add Salt to taste, not too much as the mutton is quite salty itself.

Now carefully pour the coconut cream inside the hole. All you have to do now is bring all the leaves together and bunch it up with all the ingredients inside and close it carefully with the foil wrapper.

Aha forgot the lemon juice lol no I didn’t, before you wrap the taro leaves with the foil carefully pour the lemon juice on the sides on the leaves not on the meat with the coconut cream or it will curdle just on the sides.

For cassava preparation is very easy all you do is place on foil add salt to taste and close it up.

Cooking: Turn the oven to about 375 degrees F place the taro leaves and cassava in a baking pan and place in oven.

Cooking for Taro leaf paulsami usually takes an hour depending on the leaves, if leaves are younger faster cooking.

For cassava it will be like an hour and half or two hour if you want a crispy taste.

Once time is elapsed take out scoop the paulsami with a spoon and plate with the nice roasted cassava and enjoy some of the islands most desired Christmas favourites.

Happy eating and holidays from juuluumfood