Five favourite dishes that every visitor should try in order to get a taste of Fiji’s fresh, vibrant and
remarkably diverse island cuisine.

Wednesday 20th October, 2021

Fiji’s warm, crystal-clear waters, swaying palm trees and idyllic white sand beaches all helped to earn its reputation as one of the South Pacific’s most beautiful island paradises.

Visitors come from around the world to enjoy the laidback island lifestyle and stay for the world class hotels and resorts.

One aspect of Fijian culture that many visitors don’t fully appreciate until they’ve experienced it personally is the cuisine.

Fiji has one of the most diverse and fascinating island cuisines in the Pacific. Combining native ingredients, fresh and incredibly varied seafood and diverse cultural influences, it’s not surprising that many of the local favourites are as unique as they’re delicious.

This island favourite is a Fijian take on cured raw fish, similar to South American ceviche or Hawaiian poke.

Kokoda is made by ‘cooking’ chunks of fresh fish in acidic lemon or lime juice. Different types of fish can be used, but favourite options are walu (Spanish mackerel) or mahi mahi.

The cured fish is mixed with a zesty marinade of citrus juice and coconut and local varieties can include spring onions, red onion, tomatoes, capsicum, chillies and other spices.

Kokoda is often served in a half coconut shell and is a popular starter or entree

The traditional Fijian feast or banquet style meal that’s cooked in an underground oven, similar to New Zealand’s hangi.

Lovo translates to ‘feast cooked in the earth’. It’s commonly served at wedding banquets and community festivals.

A pit is dug for the lovo and then lined with heated stones and coconut husks. Meats including chicken and fish are wrapped in banana and taro leaves and placed in the pit, with cassava, taro and other vegetables layered on top.

Once the pit is filled with food, it’s covered with dirt and left to cook for several hours. The meat becomes incredibly tender and takes on a delicate smoky flavour.

A lovo feast is a one of a kind Fijian culinary experience.

Fiji’s sizable Indian community has had a considerable influence on the local cuisine.

Popular Indian spices and curry recipes have become commonplace in the islands and have been melded with traditional ingredients to create some uniquely Fijian dishes.

Fish suruwa is a perfect example; it’s a fish curry cooked in a coconut milk sauce, flavoured with cumin and garam masala and often including duruka or ‘Fijian asparagus’.

Best served on a bed of white rice with fresh cooked roti flatbread.

Known as ‘sea grapes’, nama is a type of seaweed that’s harvested over reefs in pristine, shallow waters.

Also known as ‘green caviar’, nama is actually incredibly healthy. The tiny, crunchy spheres have a distinct briny flavour, like the sea, and are preferably eaten raw.

Fijians often serve nama as a garnish with other dishes or mixed with fermented coconut paste in a salad.

Palusami is a Fijian dish made from taro leaves, known as rourou, stuffed with meat and coconut milk.

Corned beef is often used, although seafood varieties are also popular. Palusami can be cooked in a lovo for the best flavour.

Alternatively, rourou leaves can be cooked or stewed in coconut milk and served like a soup alongside seafood or another main meal.