Ingredients
Shoots
- 12lowland pitpit, the flower shoots of wild sugarcane, in their sheaths
- or 500 g highland pitpit shoots
Wrapping
- banana leaves
- or a bamboo tube
Optional
- 200 mlcoconut cream
- salt
To serve
- kaukau, sweet potato
- grilled fish or pork
- with rice
Directions
- Peel it down to the pale tender core.
- Trim off the tough base of the stem.
- Take the tender pale part only. Anything green and firm higher up the shoot stays stringy however long it cooks.
- Lay the shoots on the leaves, add a pinch of salt and a little coconut cream if you have it, and fold into a parcel.
- Tie the parcel and steam it, or set it on hot stones in an earth oven, for 25 to 30 minutes. In a mumu, the earth oven, the parcels sit among hot stones with everything else that is cooking.
- Serve them alongside kaukau, sweet potato, and grilled fish or pork, which is the everyday village plate.
Technique
- The two plants are unrelated botanically despite sharing the name in Tok Pisin.
- Both are common market vegetables across Papua New Guinea.
- Neither needs any special treatment beyond cooking, unlike some other traditional greens.
Substitutions
- Asparagus or bamboo shoots for the highland type.
- Young sweetcorn for the lowland type, which is close in flavour.
Variations
- Cooked in a mumu, the earth oven, with everything else.
- Grilled in the sheath over embers.
- Stir-fried with onion, which is a modern town version.
History
Two unrelated plants share the name: lowland pitpit is the flower shoot of a wild sugarcane, highland pitpit a palm-leaf grass.
Frequently asked questions
What is Pitpit?
Pitpit is a salad & side from Papua New Guinea: tender wild-cane or grass shoots steamed in leaves, tasting of sweetcorn and asparagus. Two unrelated plants share the name: lowland pitpit is the flower shoot of a wild sugarcane, highland pitpit a palm-leaf grass.
How long does Pitpit take to make?
Pitpit takes 15 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Pitpit?
Yes, within limits. Asparagus or bamboo shoots for the highland type. Young sweetcorn for the lowland type, which is close in flavour.
