Laplap (sometimes incorrectly spelled lap lap) is the national dish of Vanuatu. Laplap is prepared by grating breadfruit, bananas, taro or yam roots into a vegetable paste. The paste is then wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in an underground stone oven, with fresh coconut cream. Meats like pork, beef, chicken or flying fox can be added.
The word laplap (spelled in one word) comes from Bislama, the national language of Vanuatu. It finds its origin in some of the Oceanic languages of the country: e.g. Dorig lablab , Nume labalam , both reflecting a Proto-Torres-Banks form *laáµÂbalaáµÂba.
The majority of indigenous languages of Vanuatu, however, name the dish using other roots. For example, Mota loko and Raga loḡo reflect a Proto-North-Central Vanuatu etymon *loáµÂgo; Hiw tegà Âv , Lemerig âÂÂëgëv and Mwotlap na-tgop reflect Proto-Torres-Banks *taãoòe; Araki has ureeje , Tamambo has wewe, etc.