Rukau refer to young taro leaves in Cook Islands. Rukau is also the name of a dish made of mashed Rukau which is mixed with coconut cream, salt, and chopped onions. Meat or corned beef may also be added. It is one of the Cook Islands traditional dishes. The Cook Islands are part of Oceania, a group of islands in the South Pacific roughly halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand, lying between American Samoa and Tahiti.