Sing-Sing Mumu Feast (Mumu bilong Sing-Sing)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Pork, cut into large pieces — 4 kg (8.8 lb)
- Sweet potatoes, halved — 10
- Cassava, peeled and chunked — 4
- Pumpkins, cut into large pieces — 2
- Chopped leafy greens (aibika or similar) — 280 g (10 oz)
- Salt — to taste
- Banana leaves, for lining and covering
- River stones, for heating
Method
- Dig a large pit and heat a generous layer of stones over a big fire until glowing hot, several hours in advance.
- Season the pork with salt.
- Line the bottom of the pit with banana leaves.
- Layer in the hot stones, then the pork, followed by the root vegetables and pumpkin, and finally the leafy greens, seasoning as you go.
- Cover everything with more banana leaves.
- Cover the pit with earth to seal in the heat and steam.
- Leave to cook undisturbed for 3–4 hours, given the larger quantity.
- Carefully uncover, remove the food, and serve generously to the gathered sing-sing community.
Introduction: A generous feast-sized mumu prepared for sing-sing festivals and major community celebrations, bringing together pork, root vegetables and greens for hundreds to share.
Cultural Background: Sing-sing festivals, celebrating tribal culture with traditional dance, costume and music, are among Papua New Guinea's most significant cultural events, and a large communal mumu feast is central to feeding the gathered community throughout the celebration.
Tips: Scale up the stone quantity and pit size proportionally for this larger festive batch. Enlist many hands for digging, heating stones and serving, as is traditional for a major sing-sing gathering.
Variations: Add extra root vegetables according to what's seasonally available in larger quantity. Prepare in several smaller pits if a single very large pit isn't practical.
Storage: Refrigerate leftover pork and vegetables in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently, covered, in an oven at 150°C (300°F) with a splash of water, until warmed through.
FAQs:
Q: What is a sing-sing?
A: A major Papua New Guinean cultural festival featuring traditional dance, costume and music, celebrating tribal heritage and bringing communities together.
Q: How many people does this festive quantity serve?
A: This larger batch is designed to feed a substantial community gathering, often 30 or more people.
- Pork, cut into large pieces — 4 kg (8.8 lb)
- Sweet potatoes, halved — 10
- Cassava, peeled and chunked — 4
- Pumpkins, cut into large pieces — 2
- Chopped leafy greens (aibika or similar) — 280 g (10 oz)
- Salt — to taste
- Banana leaves, for lining and covering
- River stones, for heating
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