How to make a Fijian lovo

The first step in preparing a lovo is to dig the fire pit, a bowl-shaped hole in the ground.

Dimensions vary depending on how many people the lovo feast will be serving. Once the hole is dug, it’s lined with stones or bricks.

These trap the heat within the oven, allowing the food to cook. Kindling and firewood is then added on top of the stones.

It is lit and allowed to burn down until the flames die down and good hot coals remain. Now it’s time to add the food!

Chicken, pork, lamb and fresh locally caught fish can be marinated in herbs, spices and coconut cream squeezed by hand from local coconuts before being wrapped in foil and placed closest to the hot coals.

A traditional dish called palusami is added next – it’s made with taro leaves, coconut cream and corned beef and makes an excellent hearty accompaniment to the feast.

Finally, the vegetables are added. These can include breadfruit and root vegetables such as cassava (tapioca root), dalo (taro root), turnips, uvi (wild yams) or sweet potatoes seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil before being wrapped in foil and placed on the coals.

Sometimes food is also wrapped in beautifully braided banana- or palm leaf parcels, with or without the foil.

This provides additional protection from the hot coals while imparting flavour and fragrance to the food inside.

The food inside the parcels is steamed and infused with local flavour.

Desserts can also be added on top with the vegetables. These can include a soft, sticky dish called vakalolo, made from coconut and cassava drizzled with caramel sauce, or steamed egg custards.

Yum! Are you hungry yet?

Additional banana leaves are layered on top of the food to lock in as much smoke as possible to provide heat for the oven and the smoky flavour.

This also makes the food moist and tender. Potato sacks may be added on top of the leaves to provide a barrier and then the mound is covered with soil.

Traditionally, food is cooked for between three and four hours, with the men tending to it and rotating the food over if needed part way through the cooking time.

After the food is cooked it is unearthed from the oven, with the soil, sacks and leaves removed layer by layer to finally reveal the steaming goodness.

The cooked deliciousness is placed on large banana leaves to cool before serving the feast buffet style with tasty sauces and accompaniments. Bringing people together afterwards to share in the meal is a highlight of the experience.

Source: Mantaray island Resort