Top 14 traditional Fiji food for an authentic experience

Today, travellers to Fiji can experience the many tastes of a full-flavoured cuisine with immense diversity in presentation, ingredients, and styles that are plentiful across the islands.

From being developed over many centuries, Fiji food had its origins around the first century A.D. when Melanesians came to Fiji. Fijian’s cultural traditions flourished as they traded with Polynesians from Samoa and Tonga! Further diversity was added to Fiji traditional food during the 1600s and 1700s with the different foods and produce that Dutch and English explorers brought along.

Later, Indian laborers contributed to the exotic flavours of their cuisine. To begin your exploration of all the Fijian fruit and vegetables, meats, poultry, and fish that have been brought together into mouthwateringly unforgettable taste sensation dishes, and to tempt you to visit Fiji even more, we present you a guide! 

Traditionally, the Fijian cooking method uses an open fire or in an underground oven dug out of the ground and covered with banana leaves. Still used today, the Lovo or underground overcooking is a thrilling cultural experience for all travelers to Fiji. 

Fijians typically eat rice, sweet potato, cassava, fish, coconut, and taro. Meat, chicken, and fish are also traditionally cooked in a Lovo. 

Fiji is also rich in tropical and juicy fruits such as sea grapes, pawpaw, banana, various melons and of course pineapple and jackfruit! 

You will find many unique foods in traditional Fijian produce, many of which are accessible in the local markets around the country.

Some of you may like to try include Rourou, a dish made from Dalo or Taro leaves cooked or stewed in coconut milk and served as a side dish to fish or chicken. 

Coconut bread, a staple, is known in Fiji as the “tree of life” and has been part of food in Fiji for thousands of years. Cassava is another unique Fijian food, better known in other parts of the world as tapioca or sago, from which puddings and desserts are made. 

Duruka, or Fijian asparagus, is used in curries and Lolo (coconut milk). Nama or sea grapes or green grapes grow in shallow waters, are similar to caviar (fish eggs), and are served with chillies and lemon. 

Taro is another unique Fijian food. Like potatoes and yams, Taro is a root vegetable celebrated during the first full moon of May as Taro Day. Taro is also used in a unique and popular Fijian dish called Palusami and tastes like stewed spinach. 

Two other unique foods are Kava, a drink made from yaqona mixed with water, and Babakau or fried bread. Honourable mentions include Cawaki or sea urchin, which is a popular delicacy today.

Following are images and information for you about 15 different traditional and modern dishes from Fijian cuisine, which illustrate for the first-time traveler what an amazing, delicious, and unique experience eating food in Fiji offers. A huge variety, all mouthwatering, all brilliantly tantalizing your taste buds, all colorful visual expressions of Fiji and the people of Fiji.

Sea urchin, locally known as Cawaki, is the only species of urchin in Fiji that is edible. So much so that it has become a popular delicacy in coastal villages. Cawaki is found in Fiji’s shallow coral reef ecosystem. The women of Fiji provide the main collection process for the Cawaki, after which they take the Cawaki to sell at markets. In turn, near Suva, collecting and selling sea urchins is now a source of income for women.  

Kokoda is raw fish, like Mahi Mahi, that’s marinated in lime and lemon juices and is like ceviche where the citric juices “cook” the fish. Fijians also add coconut milk, chilies, onions, tomatoes, spring onions, capsicum, and seawater. This national food of Fiji is served in a large clamshell, coconut shell, or bamboo in festive style.

Known as the “Fijian asparagus”, Duruka is the unopened flower of a cane shoot. Similar to the sugar cane plant, it’s found throughout Southeast Asia and other Pacific islands. Fijians have both red and green varieties of Duruka. It has different textures; red Duruka has a harder texture than the softer green Duruka. Duruka can be included as one of the wide variety of ingredients in Fijian cooking, such as coconut milk and curries.

Like potatoes and yams, Taro can be cut into chips or fries or boiled or mashed like potatoes. It has a greater carbohydrate content than potatoes and has the highest vegetable source of energy. Taro is a staple of Fiji food and has been for centuries, so much so that Taro is also celebrated during the first full moon of May as Taro Day.

Nama is known as “sea grapes” but is like a kind of seaweed grown in shallow waters and found all over Fiji. It is used as a garnish and can be added to either a salad or coconut milk. Nama contains Vitamin C and Vitamin A. Fijians use Nama with coconut to make a thick paste known as kora, grated coconut, chili, lemon juice, and salt. Nama or sea grapes or green grapes are similar to caviar (fish eggs) and are served with chilies and lemon.

Okra is cooked whole or sliced and is a fruit that is eaten as a vegetable. Known for being slimy, Okra can be fried, grilled, sauteed, and roasted. Used in stews and soups, it has a grassy flavor similar to eggplant or green beans.

Believed to be one of the earlier cultivated plants, Dalo is a root vegetable sometimes known as Taro and is a staple Fiji food and again is similar to yams.

This is a Fijian dish made of cassava that can be boiled, baked, or grated, then cooked in coconut cream with sugar and bananas added and served as dessert.

Fish Suruwa is an example of Indo-Fijian influence on Fiji food. Commonly served at weddings, it is eaten with rice as the main course. This dish is very spicy and includes spices and flavorings such as coconut milk, garam masala, cumin, and cinnamon. 

Palusami is a popular Fiji food and is made of boiled Taro leaves mashed into a curry with a stewed spinach flavor. Little to no spices or chilies are used in this dish which is garnished with coconut cream. These leaves are stuffed with meat, sometimes corned beef, with onions and a coconut mixture because fresh meat isn’t always available.​ 

The fish most often used when making Kokoda, Mahi Mahi is a fish from the deep waters around Fiji. It is very popular and usually grilled or cooked in a frying pan and served with vegetables.

Kava is described as a drug made from ground-up roots of a South Pacific plant, the Piper methysticum, a member of the pepper family, and is taken as a drink. It is traditionally made of crushed, ground, or powdered root soaked in water and drunk as a tea and has been used by Pacific Islanders for hundreds of years.

Kava is used in traditional ceremonies and cultural events in the Pacific region. In certain countries like Australia, Kava is restricted to medicinal purposes only.

Cassava is a root vegetable similar to Tapioca or Sago, and is similarly used in sweet desserts. Cassava cake has a consistency similar to sticky rice. It is served as a dessert dish with butter, preserved fruit, or fresh fruit.

Rourou is made of Dalo or Taro leaves and tastes similar to spinach. Served in different ways, Rourou, when cooked down, is similar to creamed spinach. In traditional Fijian cooking the leaves of Rourou are cooked in a Lovo or underground earth oven. A popular way to serve Rourou is Rourou Peti, where the Rourou leaves are stuffed with chili, onion, coconut milk, and tuna mixture. 

Hungry yet? 👀 We all know one of the best parts of visiting a new place is trying out local cuisine, so we hope that this gets you a head start on Fuji food to eat! Happy munching 😋