Laplap

Laplap is the national dish of Vanuatu. It is made by grating breadfruit, bananas, taro, or yam roots into a soft, vegetable paste. This paste is then wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in a special underground stone oven along with fresh coconut cream.

Sometimes, meats like pork, beef, chicken, or even flying fox are added to the dish. Laplap is a special and tasty food that shows the rich culture and cooking traditions of Vanuatu. It is often enjoyed during celebrations and important meals.

Etymology

The word laplap comes from Bislama, the national language of Vanuatu. It is related to words in some of the country's other languages, like lablab in Dorig and labalam in Nume. These words share ancient roots from old languages spoken in the area.

Many other local languages in Vanuatu have their own special names for the dish, using different words that also come from ancient roots. For example, in Mota it is called loko, and in Raga it is called loḡo. Other languages have their unique names too.

Main recipes

Laplap is the national dish of Vanuatu. It is made by grating breadfruit, bananas, taro, or yam roots into a paste. This paste is then wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in an underground stone oven, often with fresh coconut cream added.