ISLAND LIFE

WE CELEBRATE THE INDIAN COOKING OF FIJI IN THIS EXTRACT FROM TROPICAL VEGETARIAN BY SADHNA WILSON.

Celebrate the Indian cooking of Fiji in an extract from Tropical Vegetarian by Sadhna Wilson

FIJI IS THE MELTING POT of the Pacific, with an original indigenous cuisine based on complex root crops, the best seafood, all sorts of life-giving greens and vibrant fruits that sing with tropical flavours. But it was when Indians arrived here that things really began to heat up. For immigrant populations, food, cuisine and food traditions are among the most foundational elements of culture. Food is central to their individual and collective identities. Indo-fijian cuisine is a unique manifestation of the Indian diaspora because of the context in which it developed. Combining natural Fijian ingredients with the ancient knowledge of India and the spices they brought with them, what has emerged over generations is a world cuisine like no other.