Introduction

The small island of Fiji in the Pacific, sitting very close to the International Date Line, has a rich and varied diet. Thanks to colonial powers and curious visitors of the last few hundred years, as well as a variety of native plant and fish species (as well as introduced species) the island has a rich culinary heritage. Much of its food has been adopted into other major culinary traditions ‘ you might be eating Fijian food and not even know it!

1. Kokoda

This spicy fish dish is a Fijian favourite! Take four white fish fillets (typically mahi-mahi), the juice of three limes, a pinch of salt, a cup of coconut cream or milk, one onion (diced), a green chilli pepper, two tomatoes and a bell pepper (any colour but yellow would probably go best with the flavours). No cooking is involved here (the acid of the juice can effectively ‘cook’ fish); the fish must be chopped and marinated overnight in the lime juice and salt. The rest of the ingredients should only be added when ready to serve

2. Fish Suruwa

Curries are considered native to the Indian subcontinent and now across Indonesia to the Pacific coast. Most traditions now have a curry of their own. This curry makes use of the abundant fish in the Fijian diet. Any fish with firm white flesh, onion, chillies, tomatoes, lemon juice, turmeric, cumin and coconut milk are all combined to create a spicy yet fruity sauce for a delicious fish curry. Serve on a bed of rice. Most Fijian curries are not served with bread in the way that Indian curries tend to be

3. Fijian Honey Cakes

Bees are one of those insect species that are endemic all over the globe so honey is one of the oldest, healthiest and most diverse sweeteners ever used by humanity. Every society throughout history has had its version of the honey cake ‘ even the ancient Romans. The Fijian version uses ginger, cinnamon, all spice, sour cream, almonds and canola oil, giving it a distinctly eastern flavour; it is also more like bread than cake compared to its counterparts in other culinary traditions

4. Fish Lolo

Fijians just love their fish as proven by yet another mainstay containing deep see fish. Use halibut or cod for this traditional dish. Add onion, garlic, a chilli for heat and flavour, coconut milk, basil, salt, pepper to taste and cassava taro root. Whereas some fish dishes are served cold with the fish raw, this requires that the fish is boiled until the flesh is soft. Once drained, shallow fry the fish and vegetables and spices with the coconut milk going on last

5. Lolo Buns

Coconut milk or cream seems to feature heavily in Fijian food ‘ and these sweet breads / cakes are no exception. Made like typical sweet bread with flour, yeast, butter, eggs and sugar, you also need regular milk and coconut milk. They are eaten warm and often with tea or coffee, perhaps it is the Fijian equivalent of the rock cake or the hot cross bun. The coconut milk is actually poured into the mix before baking, leaving a sweet coconut flavour to the bread

6. Pork and Pineapple Curry

The diversity of eastern cuisine is no better demonstrated than here: pork is not native to Fiji and was probably taken their by European colonial powers. Using Thai red curry paste, pineapple and coconut milk, add cashew nuts and extra chilli for taste and heat. This is now an international favourite and would generally be found in most Malaysian or Indonesian restaurants as a general Pacific dish. Serve conventionally with rice or with mashed kumara (a type of sweet potato)

7. Palusami

Though considered a Samoan dish, as with any other culture and its food, there will always be minor changes in order to create the idea that this is ‘our version’ as opposed to ‘their version’; Palusami uses corned beef, coconut milk (again) and taro leaves or spinach. Cook the beef, setting one layer of beef on top of the taro and then a layer of beef until all layers have been set down. Once this has been done, pour over the coconut milk and seal. The taro will crinkle.

8. Vakalolo

Another cassava root based dish, this is a dessert, desiccated coconut, grated ginger, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, banana leaves and more coconut milk all mixed in together. Create a paste and bake for under an hour. It is a traditional dish eaten all over the East Indies. Use extra brown sugar for sweetness or coconut milk for greater consistency. A Tahitian version adds other native fruits other than coconut for the extra flavour

9. Cassava Cake

Often served as a dessert or for breakfast, the cassava cake is a simple snack food using coconut milk, brown sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, cheese, condensed milk and grated cassava. The wider appeal of the country and greater popularity as a tourist destination means that the cake is considered a Filipino food. Cassava is woody shrub that another favourite dessert is made from ‘ tapioca. Its starchy texture makes it great for baking and it is used in a range of other bread products

10. Coconut Chutney

Most curries come with a side dish and the Fijian take on the curry is no exception. A popular condiment is this coconut-based chutney for dipping bread in. Use coconut, fresh cilantro leaves, lemon juice, a de-seeded green chilli (such as a jalapeno). The mix of sweet, sour and hot is a favourite dipping sauce too

Conclusion

Fijian food is similar to a lot of Indonesian food but it also uses some Indian, Chinese and Japanese traditions ‘ perhaps thanks to European colonial powers having the infrastructure to take ingredients and sell them all over the world. Fijian food is healthy, nutritious and most of all ‘ tasty! It has also been influenced heavily by the other islands within its group, especially Indonesia and Malaysia much farther to the west. If you like coconut, you are bound to love Fijian food