Mumu: A traditional method of cooking foods, Papua New Guinea
Mumu or the earth oven is a part of the culture in Papua New Guinea. The food prepared by this method is cherished by the people. The murmurised foods are reportedly rich in flavour and therefore people prefer these to the foods from conventional ovens. Any type of food can be cooked in the mumu. The mumu is an earth oven that operates by heating stones which are subsequently put into or arranged around and on the food.
The heat in the stones is transferred to the food and cooks it. The earth oven is known by various names amongst the South Pacific Islanders. In Samoa, Tonga and Cook Islands it is mumu. In Tahiti it is ahimaa, in Fiji it is lovo, in the Solomon Islands it is moto and in New Zealand it is hang. Generally, black river stones are used and should be heated by hard firewood for the best results. Various food combinations (root crops, vegetables, meat etc) can be made with the sweeter and the more delicate ones being placed on the top. Depending on the quantity of food the duration of murmurisation can be for one, two or several hours and in some cases it can be carried out overnight.
Mumu is often used during ceremonies and despite the advent of modern ovens it is still popular at the household level. There are 20 provinces in Papua New Guinea and not all of them use the mumu. It appears to be more common in the highlands where pottery is very limited.
A pit is dug and then black river stones are heated in it. The size of the pit and the amount of stones and firewood used depend on the quantity of food to be murmurised.
While the stones are being heated, the food is prepared with coconut cream and wrapped in banana leaves. The banana leaves are usually conditioned over the fire that heats the stones and the wrapped food is placed on some of the hot stones. The mumu is left for about four hours with the temperature around the food as high as 250 degree centigrade. All foods are cooked together with baking being the predominant method of cooking because steaming is limited to the moisture in the leaves and foods.
Dr. P A Sopade, Food Chain no.25, August 1999, pp.20-21 Vol 10(4) Oct- Dec 1999