III. Methods of Food Preparation and preservation in the Southwest Islands

The following are general descriptions for each of the basic methods of food preparation that are universal to all of the Southwest islands.

Uumu- On the islands, uumu, or earthoven/underground oven, was the main method of cooking food both from land and sea. There are several reasons for this. First, there were no metallic or clay pots in the islands. Second, it was an effective way to prepare food for a family, being able to bake large amounts of food at one time. Thirdly, aside from just being used to cook food, it served as a food preserver, where certain dishes were preserved by reheating them over days and weeks to keep mold off and maintain their edibility.ⁱⁱ

There are distinct variations in the preparation of the uumu amongst the islanders. On Sonsorol, earthovens were generally prepared by making square or rectangular pits about one to three feet deep, about four feet in length, and less than a stride in width. The width is to make it easier for a person to reach for food atop the hot rocks and to prevent injury. At times the pits can be made round at the edges, but only if they are small and easy enough to retrieve food close to its center. On occasion, when there would be celebrations, customary gatherings or when there are just many people to feed at once, large, elongated earthovens are made, the ideal width kept and the length is stretched further. When the islanders set this kind of oven on fire, two spots about halfway to each side of the oven, are cleared of coral rock, then fire is set on the exposed firewood or coconut husk. It is then covered back, after which the fire will spread all through the wood beneath.ⁱⁱ

As for the rocks used, dead corals are employed, but only specific kinds of corals. Hard corals (excluding the branching coral species), which are dense, less porous and able to contain more heat, were used. Collected from the beach, they are spread on top of coconut husks or logs (former used more often to save wood), covering them completely. Once the rocks are red hot, a thick stick is used to pound on the rocks to make them compact and lessen the amount of gaps between rocks. Any unburned wood is also removed, as they might damage the leaves covering the food. Leaves are placed atop of rocks. Seafood, fruits, or root crops are placed on top of the leaves, then covered with more leaves. Enough leaves are placed to keep smoke and heat from escaping the pit, and that would usually make a bulge of leaves about a foot in height.^xx

Several different leaves are used to cover an earthoven in the islands, and the trend in their use varies significantly from island to island. On Sonsorol, Pulo Anna and Merir, the leaves of Elephant's Ear taro, banana, umau and coconut fronds are employed.ⁱⁱ In contrast, Tobians use the leaves of true taro, giant taro and coconut fronds (usually woven).^vi

When leaves are ordered in the pit atop the rocks, Sonsorol natives usually prefer a layer of umau leaves atop the rocks, then a layer of banana leaves. Elephant's Ear leaves are no exception, but are used more commonly when the roots of these two plants are harvested. Furthermore, a species of fern called sisi is used too to cover the rocks and do give an agreeable scent.ⁱⁱ

After leaves have been placed, a long woven coconut frond, called yado, is made to rest at the walls of the pit, serving as a barrier that prevents the food from exposure to dirt. A partner frond of similar length and weaving is placed directly opposite the first one, pushed against the wall and its ends overlapping with the first, where they are bound with string. After food has been placed, a grid of sticks called faoraor is put on top to separate them from the leaf. And to cover the oven, the same leaves, especially that of umau, are placed over the sticks in several layers. Afterwards, a thick layer of soil or sand is placed atop the leaves to allow the heat to circulate underground.ⁱⁱ

Baskets could be used to contain food both from sea and land, but especially the silverside fish, wax apples and wild figs. In this case, usually the leaves laid over the rocks are made extra thick to prevent the basket from burning. Moreover, it is with these two food types that faoraor sticks are not used, as they are contained in baskets already.ⁱⁱ

For Pulo Anna, after the rocks have been heated, the bottom corners of the pit are lined with cool rocks, and these would pin woven coconut fronds called udeki ri uumu against the walls. When leaves of Elephant's Ear Taro are placed at the bottom and food laid on top of them, the woven fronds would be folded downwards over the food, in an order where if one weaving is pushed down, the next weaving on one side is folded on top of it, with part of it covering a portion of the last frond. Continuing in one direction, this is repeated until the last is partly overlaid on top of the first. More of the same leaves are placed atop the fronds, along with banana leaves. Sand is the last to be placed.^viii

With the Tobians, the pit that is dug is most commonly circular. To heat rocks, about three clearings are made, removing those areas of rocks. Firewood, husks, and dried leaves are set afire from those clearings, with the intention that the fire will spread through all the firewood. Once rocks are red-hot, about two or three coconut fronds, cut to accommodate the length of the pit(frond base must be cut off) are laid parallel to each other on top of the rocks. Giant taro leaves are laid over the leaves, then the food, followed by more giant taro leaves, banana leaves, then woven coconut leaves called bach. Sand is heaped on top of the weavings, then the pit left to do its work.^xx

Depending on the kind of food placed in the uumu and the heat of the rocks, two control measures are used to prevent the food from burning. With the leaves, a layer about four to eight inches thick, is placed atop of the rocks. Cooking crops and fruits from land requires less heat than cooking, for example, pigs and turtles. Thus they would require a thinner layer of leaves, whereas the latter would need more. Unburned coral rocks could also be spread on top of the burning rocks (before leaves are placed in) to disperse the heat of the rocks if they are too intense.ⁱⁱ

Underground ovens were always prepared in a special cooking house, called marum in Sonsorol and Pulo Anna and murum in Tobi. This is to provide shelter in case of rain.^xx

Note: Many Southwest islands natives have developed a liking for betelnut chewing, a commodity they adopted from the mainland Palauans. There are several ingredients used in it, and one is coral lime. When cooking food using underground ovens, usually some of the coral rocks that were burnt would turn into powdery lime, and this is collected and incorporated into their betelnuts to spice it up. Furthermore, a modern canvas sheet can be placed atop the covering layer of leaves before dirt and sand are placed. This is to assure that there is no way the sand will reach the food being cooked. Moreover, presently, islanders have collected dense volcanic rocks from mainland Palau and brought them to the islands (called badritech). Because they can hold a lot of heat, they are preferred over the corals.ⁱⁱ

Piropiro (Sons and Pulo Anna),Fiyefiya(Tobi)- This is a soup drink in island terms. It is applied to root crops and fruits, except screw pine, citrus fruit, banana, tropical almond, tallow nut, tafaso. Meats from fish, pig, or birds are never used. Piropiro always uses water, sugar, coconut milk and toddy as basic ingredients. There are two variations recognized with piropiro, depending on the ratio of the liquid ingredients and the fruits. It is called piropiro fakattou if there is little of the liquid ingredients applied to make the drink. Usually just enough is used so that the final product can be eaten with a spoon. Otherwise, it may be called Piropir sari if there is more of the liquid ingredients are added, making it a drink.ⁱⁱ

Dudur(Sonsorol and Pulo Anna), Susur(Tobi),- This is a method of roasting in the islands, and can be applied to fruits, especially breadfruit, banana and sweet potato, but is used primarily to the cooking of fish. As fuel, coconut husks and coconut shells are prefered, especially the latter because it produces very strong heat. Logs and firewood were not used as its continuous use would make wood scarce.

Tuhief(Sonsorol, Pulo Anna and Tobi)- This is a cooking method having close resemblance to dudur, and is applied exclusively to fish, birds and pigs. Food prepared this way are wrapped most commonly in the leaves pohuae, bound, then barbecued over a slow-burning fire. Furthermore, to give the food an attractive smell, Southwest islanders employ the leaves of warong, reng^xxii, sisi and huruhur, placing them either within the bellies or around their skin when in the midst of cooking.ⁱⁱ

Hapare(Sonsorol and Pulo Anna),- This is sun-drying, a preservation method in the islands. It is applied mainly to certain fruits and crops on the island of Sonsorol, namely fadol, balih and moruya.ⁱⁱ

Faangifeng(Sonsorol, Pulo Anna and Tobi)- This is the smoke-drying method of preservation. It is only applied to turtle, pig, and the majority of food fishes. It is an important preservation method, especially so when certain current changes throughout a year can prevent most natives from going to sea to fish.ⁱⁱ

Sol(Sonsorol, Pulo Anna and Tobi)- This is preservation through the use of salt. It is not an original preservation concept from the islands but was introduced by the Japanese. It is done exclusively to fish, and most fish in the islands can be prepared this way, but certain species are not used.ⁱⁱ

Siwokara(Sonsorol and Pulo Anna)- This is a preservation method applied exclusively to the intestines of certain fish. It is not traditional to the islanders in culture, but was adopted from the Japanese when they occupied the Pacific prior to World War II.ⁱⁱ

Kosaos e yamat(Sonsorol and Pulo Anna), Yamat(Tobi)- This is fish eaten raw and plainly. It was the main method for eating fish in the past.ⁱⁱ

Sashimi(Sonsorol and Pulo Anna)- This is similar to kosaos e yamat, except that it was an adoption from the Japanese. What sets this method of eating raw fish apart is that flavoring is commonly added to it. In the present, Natives who stay in the islands and want to eat raw fish usually slice fish meat into morsel-sized pieces, then use hot peppers, salt, soy sauce, and lemon, then mix these ingredients to use as a dip for the fish. Occasionally, coconut toddy is left contained in a bottle for two days, letting it transform from a sweet juice, to palm wine, then to a form of vinegar. This can be added to the other ingredients to improve the taste of the dip.ⁱⁱ

Hafaauru(Sons), Hadaauru(P.A), Habwetchi(Tobi)- A preservation method using an earthoven, where a dish is constantly reheated to prevent from spoiling. Presently, it is applied most commonly to root crops, but in the past, hafaaure was done to certain fruits and the majority of seafood. If a crop or fruit was to be preserved, it would normally be reheated once every other day in the first days following the first cooking, then the number of days between reheatings extended for almost two weeks, but lengthened incrementally by a day between each reheating. This trend, however, varies amongst the different foods implemented.ⁱⁱ

Presently, hafauure could be effectively and efficiently applied to both land food and seafood, as there are pots now to help it. When a dish is cooked in a pot, eaten and there would remain leftovers, they are reheated once or twice a day, one in the morning and one in the evening before dinner. For a dish, it could be done for several days, some dishes lasting only a few, and some for a whole week or more, especially the root crops.ⁱⁱ

Tora(Sonsorol), Sirakhoraki(Pulo Anna), Chirakhorak(Tobi)- This method of food preparation is usually applied to root crops when they are mixed with fruits and starch foods. Though Sonsorolese use the term Tora in the present, in the past Sirakhoraki was used, but only to refer to the finished product, when it has been cooked, then cut into morsels and ready to serve. Tora was used to refer to the stage when the mixture has been made but still inedible, and when it is actually being cooked in the earthoven.ⁱⁱ

Kuk- A modern, untraditional way of cooking food using water, hence the word's resemblance to cook. Its use has overshadowed every other preparation method due to its simplicity and time allotted to it preparation.ⁱⁱ

Yalung (Sonsorol and Pulo Anna), Yanguh (Tobi)- This is a modern method of food preparation in which either birds, pig and seafood meat are cooked in coconut milk. Though coconut milk was available in the past, it was never used to cooked any meats, due to cultural superstition.ⁱⁱ