Taro isn’t the official name of this plant.
Some plants belonging to its family are collectively called Taro plants.
This time, I’m harvesting dasheen.
It’s characterized by its large leaves spreading towards the sky.
「 Looking good as usual 」
Natural taros grow in the wild just a short distance from the sea cave.
It’s not that much so I can’t overharvest.
「 I’m only using the leaves for today, but… 」
I grabbed the tuber as well.
Tubers are a versatile ingredient used in soups, boiled, rolled, and even used in salads.
I won’t use it, but Eri will find it useful.
「 This should be enough 」
I harvested the minimum amount needed and threw it into the bamboo basket.
I moved to a different location and harvested banana leaves this time.
Banana leaves are quite huge.
「 If only we had tea leaves too…Oh well 」
I procured some dasheen and banana leaves so we’re ready to go.
I went back to the hideout at a quick pace.
◇
Tanaka, my assistant, finished his work at the hideout.
He’s dug a hole exactly less than a meter deep.
「 Is this good enough? 」
Tanaka asks me to check.
I approached the hole and looked inside.
I have no problems with the hole dimensions.
It was enough to lay the stones.
「 Perfect. Then, start a fire by the hole and heat the stones there
「 Roger that! What about you Shinomiya-dono? 」
「 I’ll do the food prep 」
Even though Tanaka says “Roger that,” he goes ask questions after.
「 If we’re just stone grilling, wouldn’t it be better if the stones were a little flatter and bigger? 」
Tanaka seems to misunderstand.
Thinking that we’re using the stone as a griddle and grill wild boar or fish.
That’s a dish we made multiple times before.
「 Yes, that is if we’re stone grilling. But it’s different this time 」
「 What?! Now I’m looking forward to it! 」
Stone-grilled meat is easy and tasty.
I like it, everyone likes it.
That’s a good choice, but it’s not the food today.
The dishes we’re making are traditional dishes from Hawaii and Papua New Guinea.
「 Well then, I should prepare now 」
After placing the bamboo basket in its place. I followed Tanaka to the hideout.
◇
「 This, this, and this one 」
「 Hokage-kun, what are you making? 」
Eri speaks to me while I’m gathering materials at the hideout.
Her complexion is somewhat better. She seems to be recovering.
「 Well, look forward to it 」
「 Geez, you could tell me. You tease 」
「 Hahahaha 」
I winked at Eri and left the hideout.
◇
I brought a wooden cutting board, some boar meat, and some fish from the hideout.
The fish was still alive earlier.
「 I knew it, it’s stone baking! 」
Tanaka said as I cut the thick boar meat.
He’s facing this way while starting a fire with accustomed movements.
Seeing that made me feel that he’s grown.
「 I told you it’s not. But you’ll figure it out soon 」
After cutting the boar meat, next would be preparing the fish.
After washing the cutting board with clean seawater, I sliced the fish.
The fish we’re using for the dish is a black porgy.
It doesn’t need to be this one, but this is a reasonable choice.
Black Porgy’s famous among the fishermen as the sex-changing fish.
They’re male shortly after birth, but by the time they’re about four years old, they turn into females.
It’s an intriguing fish, but it’s not that popular with the people.
It’s an omnivore, so the taste is greatly influenced by its environment.
Depending on where they’re caught, they can get too smelly to eat.
However, as for the black porgy caught on this island, they’re incredibly delicious.
The moderately chewy texture is probably best enjoyed as sashimi.
I’m afraid of food poisoning, so Sashimi’s forbidden here.
「 It’s done 」
Handling the boar and black porgy is done.
Then, I’ll wrap it in dasheen leaf and then banana leaf.
Finally, place it on the bed of hot stones and cover the hole and we’re done.
But…
「 It’s not enough 」
I thought about it while doing food prep.
The boar and black porgy aren’t enough.
「 While we’re at it, let’s add some dasheen 」
Here, I hastily decided to mix in some of the tubers.
After a quick wash, I chop them to the appropriate size.
「 This looks good now 」
The variety of food has improved the appearance.
Since there’s nothing else to add, I wrapped it in various leaves.
Now that’s enough for our number.
「 Tanaka lay the stones in the hole. 」
「 Roger! 」
Tanaka rolls the stones with a bamboo stick.
The heated red stones roll into the hole.
Once all the stones were placed in the hole, he pushed a way through so it doesn’t get bulky.
「 Done 」
「 Good job. 」
「 I gently lay down the leaf bundle. 」
Once it’s placed, we’re plugging the hole to complete the process.
「 So, Shinomiya-dono, what’s this dish? 」
I guess it’s time to tell them.
I replied while smiling.
「 This is a traditional cuisine in Hawaii, it’s called Lau Lau. In Papua New Guinea, it’s called Muumuu 」
A dish of meat or potatoes wrapped and steamed in the oven.
It’s Laulau or Muumuu
「 These days, it’s made in regular ovens, but we don’t have those here. That’s why I’m using the old method 」
「 So that’s why you used heated stones! 」
「 Correct. We built an underground natural oven 」
Not that oven on the ground is an original of mine.
They use this in Hawaii and even Papua New Guinea
「 That’s amazing! As expected of Shinomiya Dono! 」
「 The slow steaming process makes the meat tender. Eri and everyone will be surprised by this 」