ExploFood · Oceania
What to eat in Papua New Guinea
Four dishes to try in Papua New Guinea, the most typical first. Two are vegetarian.
Four dishes to try in Papua New Guinea
Mumu
Pork, chicken, sweet potato and greens cooked on hot stones in a pit.
How to have it: Made for celebrations and village feasts, especially in the Highlands; ask a guide about one.
Sago
Starch from the sago palm, cooked into pancakes or a sticky jelly.
How to have it: The staple along the Sepik River and in lowland areas; eaten with fish or greens.
Kaukau
Sweet potato roasted in embers or boiled, the Highlands staple.
How to have it: Sold roasted at roadside markets; Highlands villages eat it at almost every meal.
Coconut fish
Raw fish marinated in lime and coconut milk with vegetables.
How to have it: Common in coastal areas and island provinces; shared with the wider Pacific.
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Questions
What food is Papua New Guinea famous for?
Mumu (pork, chicken, sweet potato and greens cooked on hot stones in a pit) comes first on our list, followed by Sago, Kaukau and Coconut fish.
What is the national dish of Papua New Guinea?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Papua New Guinea is Mumu: pork, chicken, sweet potato and greens cooked on hot stones in a pit. Made for celebrations and village feasts, especially in the Highlands; ask a guide about one.
Which dishes in Papua New Guinea are vegetarian?
Two of the four on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Sago and Kaukau. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in Papua New Guinea
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.