 A Tuvaluan meal. | |
| Country or region | Tuvalu |
|---|---|
| National dish | Pulaka |
| National drink | Kava |
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Thecuisine of Tuvalu, a state in the Central Pacific (Oceania), is based on the staple of coconut and the many species of fish found in the ocean and the lagoons of theatolls ofTuvalu.Pulaka (Cyrtosperma merkusii), or "swamp taro", is an important source ofcarbohydrates. Rice now forms an important part of the diet. Coconut is used in different forms withcoconut water,coconut milk and the flesh of the coconut being used to flavour dishes. Various desserts made on the islands include coconut and coconut milk, instead of animal milk.
The traditional foods eaten in Tuvalu are pulaka,[1] which is a "swamp crop" similar totaro,[2] but "with bigger leaves and larger, coarser roots",[3]bananas,breadfruit and coconut.[4] Tuvaluans also eat seafood, includingcoconut crab, fish from the lagoon and ocean, seabirds (taketake orblack noddy andakiaki orwhite tern) and alsopork.[5]
Seafood providesprotein. Bananas and breadfruit are supplemental crops. Coconut is used for its juice, to make other beverages (such astoddy) and to improve the taste of some dishes. Pork is eaten mostly atfateles (or parties with dancing to celebrate special events).[5]
Agriculture in Tuvalu is focused on coconut trees and growing pulaka in large pits of composted soil below the water table,[6] Pulaka is the main source for carbohydrates. Pulaka makes up the bulk of the islanders' traditional diet; it is usually supplemented by fish.[7] Since the unprocessedcorms are toxic, they must always be cooked, usually in anearth oven. Many of the recipes call for the addition ofcoconut cream or toddy, or both. OnNiutao, coconut cream (lolo) is poured over beaten pulp of pulaka, to make a dish calledtulolo. A similar dish onNukufetau, with halved corms, is calledtulolo pulaka; with beaten corms the dish is calledfakapapa.Fekei is made on all the islands, and consists of pulaka which is grated (typically this is woman's work) with the aid of limestone with holes drilled in it. The resulting pulp is wrapped in pulaka leaves and steamed, and mixed with coconut cream.[7]
Puleleti is a sweet made from desiccated coconut mixed with coconut syrup.
Because these islands are isolated, the neighbours' influences are not felt in the Tuvaluan cuisine. Because Tuvalu was a British colony during the 19th century, Tuvaluan cuisine includes British elements and meals with the local flavours.
The pulaka pits are at risk fromincreasing sea levels, which increase saltwater levels subsoil in the atolls and islands of Tuvalu. Besides rising saltwater levels, "changing lifestyles and eating habits" also threaten the cultivation of the crop,[2] a process that began during and afterWorld War II, when American occupying troops supplied the islands with imported foods and many pulaka pits were no longer maintained.[8] Imported foods are often high in sugar, leading also to an increase in the need for dental care.
The Tuvaluans benefited from the canned food supplied by the American forces, although the change in diet continued after the war, which resulted in long-term effects on health.[9] Tuvaluans adopted a diet that includes high consumption of corned beef, rice and sugar. This food is consumed even when fish and traditional vegetables are available. This diet is believed to contribute to increasing levels of diabetes, hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases among Tuvaluans.[10]
The diets on Tuvalu's nine widely-spread islands vary, but they are all based onseafood, fish meals and local plants such astaro. Most of the population is concentrated on the Funafuti Island and even though this is very small, the cuisine there is most representative for all the state. In the capital,Funafuti, seafood dishes and meats are more common than mashed vegetables or soups, while in outer islands, taro is the staple food and it is considered to be multi-functional, with dishes including taro leaf and coconut soup, taro leafau gratin, taro chips, taro cakes andpalusami. Palusami, also calledsamoa, is served with taro orbreadfruit and made of taro leaves (which can be replaced withspinach), coconut cream,lime juice, onions andspices.
