Fiji

Tonight we're having our missionaries over for dinner. Continuing our tradition, we are eating a meal from Fiji tonight. Our tradition is to have the missionaries pick a country from our globe. The next time they come over for dinner (monthly) I'll make a meal from their selected country. I use the internet to select the perfect recipes.

The menu for tonight includes:

• Grilled Tilapia
• Lentil and Potato Curry
• Coconut Chutney to accompany the curry dish
  
• Raita: yogurt, cucumber, carrot, and spices (a condiment served with curry dishes)
• Rice
• Lime Salad

A traditional Fijian meal is called a Lovo Feast. This is where the community or village dines together for special occasions. The Lovo is prepared by digging a large pit and lining it with dry coconut husks. The husks are set on fire, then stones are heaped on top. When the flames from the coconut husks die down, the food is wrapped in banana leaves and lowered into the pit. Meat and fish are always put in first, and the vegetables are put on top. Everything is covered with more banana leaves and stones and left to cook for about 2 1/2 hours. Then it's done & everyone eats!

Fiji is located in the Pacific Ocean about 2/3 of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. It's slightly smaller than New Jersey and has about 330 islands. 110 of the 330 islands are inhabited. The people of Fiji are mostly Polynesian, Melanesian, and Indo-Fijians. In the 19th century the British brought Indian contract laborers to Fiji.

Some day I will visit Fiji and see just how traditional my meal really is. For now, we'll just imagine ourselves eating on the beach with a cool ocean breeze.