Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Palau

Taro and tapioca with lagoon seafood and Japanese touches; fruit bat soup and mangrove crab star. That is the short version of what Palau cooks. Look for Fruit Bat Soup (whole fruit bat simmered in coconut milk with ginger, famed island delicacy), Mangrove Crab (meaty crab steamed or cooked in coconut milk, Palau’s prized catch) and Demok (taro leaves stewed to a thick green mash with coconut milk and crab meat). The bat is served whole in coconut broth, fur and all; it became a tourist curiosity but is a customary dish for Palauan elders. This atlas has 16 Palau dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

16 dishes.

Boiled TapiocaBoiled TapiocaBoiled cassava root, the everyday starch beside fish and crabBrakBrakGiant swamp taro, dense and slightly itchy; long-boiled and served in slices.BuuchBuuchBetel nut split and chewed with lime, pepper leaf and often a shred of tobaccoCoconut CrabCoconut CrabGiant land crab roasted in its shell; rich, coconut-scented meat and fat.DemokDemokTaro leaves stewed to a thick green mash with coconut milk and crab meatFruit Bat SoupFruit Bat SoupWhole fruit bat simmered in coconut milk with ginger, famed island delicacyGiant Clam SashimiGiant Clam SashimiCrunchy translucent clam meat sliced raw with soy, lime and chiliIlaotIlaotThick coconut cream pressed from grated flesh; poured over taro and fish.KukauKukauBoiled swamp taro, ceremonial staple tended in women's gardensMangrove CrabMangrove CrabPohnpei's famously fat crabs steamed or simmered in coconut milkNgduulNgduulMangrove clams simmered in coconut milk, esteemed traditional foodRed Rooster BeerRed Rooster BeerKoror-brewed lagers and ales served cold to divers and locals alike.Roast BreadfruitRoast BreadfruitBreadfruit roasted whole on coals, eaten with kamaimai syrupTapioca CakeTapioca CakeGrated cassava baked with coconut cream and sugar into a sticky slab.Tuna SashimiTuna SashimiAbundant fresh raw tuna eaten with soy, lime or chiliUlkoyUlkoyCrisp fritters of grated squash and whole small shrimp, fried and eaten by hand

  • Boiled Tapioca

    Boiled cassava root, the everyday starch beside fish and crab. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 30 minutes cooking. Serves…

  • Brak

    Giant swamp taro, dense and slightly itchy; long-boiled and served in slices. Ready in 20 min prep and 3 hr…

  • Buuch

    Betel nut split and chewed with lime, pepper leaf and often a shred of tobacco. Ready in 5 minutes prep…

  • Giant Clam Sashimi

    Crunchy translucent clam meat sliced raw with soy, lime and chili. Ready in 30 minutes prep and none cooking. Serves…

  • Ilaot

    Thick coconut cream pressed from grated flesh; poured over taro and fish. Ready in 30 minutes prep and none cooking.…

  • Kukau

    Boiled swamp taro, ceremonial staple tended in women’s gardens. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 1 hour 30 minutes cooking.…

  • Ngduul

    Mangrove clams simmered in coconut milk, esteemed traditional food. Ready in 40 minutes prep and 30 minutes cooking. Serves 6.…

  • Red Rooster Beer

    Koror-brewed lagers and ales served cold to divers and locals alike. A wine & spirit recipe from Palau.

  • Roast Breadfruit

    Breadfruit roasted whole on coals, eaten with kamaimai syrup. Ready in 10 min prep and 1 hour cooking. 6 servings.…

  • Tapioca Cake

    Grated cassava baked with coconut cream and sugar into a sticky slab. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 1 hour…