Location: Western Pacific, east of the Philippines
Population: 18,000
Capital: Ngerulmud
Geography: A tropical archipelago of approximately 340 islands
Language: Palauan, English
Signature flavours: Coconut, seafood, rice, pumpkin, root vegetables, tropical fruit, pork

The Menu

“I hope you like coconut,” Eric said, as we tucked into our Palauan feast.

Palau is one of the northernmost parts of the Micronesia sub-region of Oceania, placing it north of Papua New Guinea and just east of the Philippines. The result is an Oceanic cuisine  influenced by their Filipino neighbours. Like any of the Oceanic island nations, however, Eric found plenty of uses for fish, shellfish, and the starring ingredient — coconut.

Ukoy: A fritter made from shrimp, mung bean sprouts, tofu, and green onion, seasoned with fish sauce and served with a hot pepper, garlic, and vinegar dip.

Prep and cooking time: 40 min
Difficulty: 2/5

Ukaeb: Shredded crab meat stewed with coconut milk and spices, and slathered with a coconut cream topping.

Prep and cooking time: 25 min
Difficulty: 2/5

Grilled Swordfish: Juicy swordfish steaks marinated in coconut milk, fish sauce, and a touch of curry powder, and grilled to perfection.

Prep and cooking time: 6 hours (including marinating time)
Difficulty: 2/5

Delebdeb: A sweet, refreshing drink made from coconut water, coconut milk, shredded coconut, coconut condensed milk, and regular milk, served cold.

Prep and cooking time: 10 min
Difficulty: 1/5

Subliwal: Palau’s answer to rice pudding — a pumpkin and rice dessert with (surprise, surprise) plenty of coconut milk.

Prep and cooking time: 45 min
Difficulty: 2/5

The Shopping List

This assignment took Eric south to one of our trusted (but distant — we drove two hours to get there) fishmongers for swordfish and crab. For the subliwal, the traditional recipe calls for ilaot, a syrup made from boiled coconut sap. This was impossible to find in our region, so Eric substituted coconut sugar. Everything else he was able to find locally.

The Meal

We started our meal with the ukoy, the most Filipino of Eric’s dishes, and I loved the greasy fritters when dunked in the tangy, spicy dip. To counter the heat of the hot peppers, we took sips of delebdeb, which was a positively indulgent coconut-centric beverage.

I really enjoyed the ukaeb, with its mild spice and rich coconut cream topping. It put me in mind of a crabby version of a foie gras.

Grilled fish is a staple in our house, and the swordfish steaks more than held their own. The twist of a coconut marinade only added to the experience, and the fish itself was meaty, juicy, and delicious.

We ended our meal with subliwal. Eric loves rice pudding, but I don’t typically like pudding-y desserts. This one, with sweet, earthy pumpkin and more coconut, rounded off our meal quite nicely.

Links
https://www.youtube.com/@Sunkished
https://pristineparadisepalau.com/a-taste-of-palau/
Tasting the World…One Country at a Time by Nicole J. O’Donnell

Disclaimer: I’m not a professional chef. I’m just a passionate cook with a curiosity for flavours I’ve never tried. For great recipes from gifted local cooks, follow the links above.