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AN INSIDER’S Guide to Vegetarian Travelling in Fiji Words & Images by VITTORIA PASCA One of the main questions vegetarians and vegans have before travelling overseas is: will I find any good plantbased food there? If you’re asking this question right now about your travel to Fiji, then we have some good news for you: yes, you’ll find some great tropical produce in Fiji, as well as many delicious ways to taste it at its best! Here are some tips on how to make the most of the vegetarian food Fiji has to offer. TRADITIONAL CUISINE Fijian village food has traditionally been largely plant-based as starchy crops, coconut milk, fruits and vegetables used to be extremely common in local meals. For this reason, even though the diet of Fijians nowadays is relying more and more on animal products, you’ll still be able to find some yummy vegan options. Earth oven-cooked taro (dalo), sweet potato (kumala) and cassava can be easily found in restaurants and resorts and are often served with palusami and ota miti. Palusami is a local delicacy made from taro leaves (rourou), cooked in coconut milk. Ota miti is a great way to taste Fiji’s very own edible fern with
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a raw coconut milk dressing (often prepared with onions and tomatoes). If you’re feeling adventurous, it’s definitely worth heading to the market. Suva central market is one of the best in the South Pacific and there you’ll find an amazing variety of local fruits, vegetables and flowers, as well as take away cooked dishes. Vegan sweet options include babakau (fried bread), lolo buns (buns cooked in coconut milk) and vakalolo (cassava and coconut cake). Fiji also has two traditional types of vegan “cheese”! Kora is made from grated coconut marinated in seawater and can be sprinkled on food just like Parmesan. Semi-hard lumi and coconut “cheese” is made from local seaweed (lumi) cooked with coconut milk. INDIAN RESTAURANTS If you like Indian food, Fiji won’t disappoint! Most Indian restaurants will have a vegetarian section on the menu, with several lacto-vegetarian and vegan options (eggs are not considered vegetarian). Local favourites include: dhal (lentil soup), chana masala (chickpea curry) and vegetable curries. Some great snacks include vegetarian samosa, bhajia (chickpea flour and greens fritter) and bara (coarse
