Pacific Island Recipe

coconut pesto

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  • A traditional Fijian earth oven cooking method using hot stones and banana leaves

    A traditional Fijian earth oven cooking method using hot stones and banana leaves

    A visual look at traditional Fijian lovo cooking—from preparing food in banana leaves to slow-cooking over hot stones in an earth oven.

    Lovo just uncovered - cooked and ready to be served.
    Lovo fire burning
    Pealed taro being placed in lovo
    Taro cooked in lovo pit
    Lovo fire burning waiting for rocks to be red hot
    Making palusami

    How Lovo Is Made

    Lovo is a traditional Fijian method of cooking food underground using heated stones, banana leaves, and natural steam. It is commonly prepared for special occasions, gatherings, and celebrations, and is valued for its slow-cooked flavor and communal preparation and earthy taste.

    1. Preparing the Earth Oven

    A shallow pit is dug in the ground and lined with stones. Wood is burned over the stones until they become extremely hot, creating the heat source for cooking.

    2. Preparing the Food

    Meats, root crops, and vegetables are seasoned and wrapped in banana leaves or foil. This helps lock in moisture and allows the food to cook slowly without direct flame.

    3. Layering the Lovo

    Lovo fire burning waiting for rocks to be red hot
    Lovo fire burning waiting for rocks to be red hot

    Once the stones are hot, the embers are cleared. The wrapped food is placed on top of the stones, often layered carefully to ensure even cooking.

    4. Sealing and Cooking

    The food is covered with more banana leaves, sacks, and finally buried in soil to trap the heat. The lovo is left sealed for several hours, allowing the food to steam and cook gently.

    5. Uncovering and Serving

    When ready, the lovo is opened and the food is carefully removed. The result is tender, smoky, and richly flavored dishes that reflect generations of traditional cooking.

  • Chicken Stew Recipe – Pacific Island Way

    Chicken Stew Recipe – Pacific Island Way

    Chicken stew or any stew for that matter is great especially during cold seasons! Here we share the Chicken Stew Recipe in the Pacific Island way!

    Here is what is should look like!

    Chicken Stew
    Chicken Stew

     

    The Chicken Stew Recipe.

    1. Cut boneless/skinless chicken in cubes. About 2 lbs worth should feed about 6 people.
    2. Boil chicken in water until it’s tender.
    3. While boiling add some things to make it tasty, such as salt, dark soy sauce, corn starch mix in warm water in a cup and add and then finally to make it creamy, add some chicken broth.
    4. Add some mixed vegetables, carrots, bok choy, chilly, garlic, lemon juice (not too much as it’s powerful and can over power the taste – unless this is lemon stew!) and add whichever spices that is preferred. There is no limit to cooking!
    5. After adding veggies, close lid and wait a few minutes and it should be ready. Don’t cook for too long after adding veggies to keep it fresh and crunchy.

     

  • Deep Fried Fish Recipe

    Deep Fried Fish Recipe

    Usually a good chaser while having a few beverage is non other than the deep fried fish delicacy.

    Deep Fried Fish
    Deep Fried Fish

     

    Remember this?  Not surprisingly this is really easy to make! Below is the recipe to make deep fried fish the pacific way.

    1. Cut the fish into cubes of whatever size that is preferred.
    2. Place in a bowl and add fresh pounded garlic, chili, ginger, lemon pepper, curry powder, baking powder and some salt.
    3. Mix nicely in bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes at least to let the spices soak into the fish.
    4. Heat up some oil in a deep frying pan.
    5. Fry fish until it’s brown.
    6. Serve with a smile!

    Deep frying fish pacific way!
    Deep frying fish pacific way!

     

    Deep frying fish
    When fish just added to frying pan.