Pacific Island Food

Pacific Island Food

Header product — groups all Pacific Island dishes. Log sales here for quick entry or against a specific dish for finer tracking.

Kokoda (Fijian ceviche)

Raw fish marinated in fresh lime juice and coconut cream with chilli, spring onion, and tomato. The signature Fijian dish. Contains fish and coconut allergens. Strict temperature control required.

Lovo-style pork

Slow-roasted pork marinated in coconut milk and Pacific spices — cooked in oven to replicate traditional earth oven. Contains coconut.

Lovo-style chicken

Slow-roasted chicken in coconut milk and lemon marinade. Contains coconut.

Palusami

Corned beef or tuna wrapped in taro leaves and baked in coconut cream. Rich and hearty. Contains coconut and fish.

Fijian curry with roti

Fijian-Indian style curry — chicken or mutton with fragrant spices. Served with roti. Contains gluten and dairy.

Chop suey (Fijian style)

Glass noodles stir-fried with mixed vegetables and choice of protein. A Pacific Island staple distinct from Chinese chop suey. Gluten-free.

Cassava cake (tavioka)

Sweet baked cassava cake with coconut cream. Dense, sweet, and satisfying. Contains coconut.

Vakalolo (coconut toffee)

Traditional Fijian coconut and molasses sweet. Contains coconut.

Fijian roti (chapati style)

Soft flatbread — Fijian-Indian influence. Contains gluten.

Kava (non-alcoholic ceremonial drink)

Traditional Pacific beverage made from kava root powder. Naturally gluten-free and non-alcoholic. Check market rules.

Coconut water (fresh young coconut)

Served straight from the coconut. Contains coconut.

Pork shoulder (for lovo-style pork)

Score and marinate overnight in coconut milk.

Chicken pieces (bone-in, for lovo-style chicken and curry)

Mutton or lamb (for Fijian curry)

Mutton is traditional in Fijian-Indian cooking.

White fish fillets (firm — for kokoda)

Must be sushi-grade or kokoda-grade. Snapper, mahi-mahi, or wahoo preferred. Fish allergen.

Canned corned beef (for palusami)

Fijian staple — Ox and Palm brand traditional.

Canned tuna (for palusami variant)

Fish allergen.

Taro leaves (for palusami)

Fresh or frozen — must be cooked thoroughly. Raw taro leaves are toxic.

Cassava (fresh or frozen grated)

For cassava cake.

Glass noodles (bean thread vermicelli)

For chop suey — gluten-free.

Plain flour (for roti)

Contains gluten.

Kava powder (for kava drink)

Ground kava root — traditionally prepared by straining through cloth.

Young coconuts (whole)

For coconut water service.

Coconut cream (canned, thick)

Richer than coconut milk — used in kokoda, palusami, and cassava cake. Coconut tree nut allergen.

Coconut milk (canned, full fat)

For lovo marinades and curry. Coconut tree nut allergen.

Freshly grated coconut

For vakalolo and garnish. Coconut tree nut allergen.

Curry powder (Fijian-Indian blend)

Stronger and more aromatic than standard curry powder.

Cumin seeds

Mustard seeds

Mustard allergen.

Turmeric (ground)

Garam masala

Dried chilli (whole and ground)

Cinnamon sticks

Cardamom pods

Curry leaves (fresh)

Garlic

Fresh ginger

Onions

Spring onions

For kokoda and chop suey.

Tomatoes (for kokoda and curry)

Fresh chilli (for kokoda)

Limes (large quantities)

For kokoda marinating.

Lemon juice

For lovo marinade.

Capsicum (for chop suey)

Cabbage (for chop suey)

Carrots (for chop suey)

Bok choy (for chop suey)

Bean sprouts (for chop suey)

Soy sauce (for chop suey)

Contains gluten — must declare.

Oyster sauce (for chop suey)

Contains gluten and molluscs.

Vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

Sugar (for cassava cake and vakalolo)

Molasses or dark treacle (for vakalolo)

For traditional Fijian sweetness.

Butter (for cassava cake)

Dairy allergen.

Eggs (for cassava cake)

Egg allergen.

Ghee or butter (for roti)

Dairy allergen.

Salt (for roti)

LPG burner and large heavy pot

For Fijian curry and chop suey.

LPG bottles and regulator

Commercial oven (for lovo-style roasting and palusami)

Must reach 180–200°C. Palusami baked in foil parcels.

Large roasting trays and foil

For wrapping and baking palusami and lovo-style meats.

Flat top grill

For roti.

Rice cooker (large commercial)

For steamed rice accompaniment.

Bain-marie / food warmer (multiple bays)

For curry, lovo meats, and chop suey above 60°C.

Refrigerated cool box or bar fridge

For kokoda — must keep at 0–4°C at all times.

Blender (for kava preparation)

For mixing kava powder with water.

Kava straining cloth (muslin)

Traditional kava straining.

Kava bowl (tanoa) and cups (bilo)

Traditional serving vessels — optional but authentic.

Machete or coconut opener

For opening young coconuts.

Commercial oven or camp oven

For cassava cake baking.

Prep table and cutting boards

Colour-coded — dedicated board for raw fish.

Small bar fridge

For proteins, dairy, and fish below 5°C.

Food thermometer

Trestle tables / serving counter

Gazebo/marquee

Generator

If no mains power.

Cash float/till

Pacific Island food stall

Kokoda cups with lids

Small cups — kokoda is a starter or side.

Lovo-style plate boxes with lids

For pork or chicken with rice.

Palusami foil parcels or trays

Palusami traditionally served in the leaf — foil parcel works well.

Curry and roti bags

Roti wrapped separately.

Chop suey noodle boxes

Cassava cake slices in bags or boxes

Vakalolo sweet bags

Kava cups (traditional bilo style or disposable)

Coconut water straws (for young coconut)

Wooden forks and spoons

Napkins

Takeaway bags

Allergen information card

Coconut throughout, fish in kokoda and palusami, gluten in roti and chop suey sauces, dairy in curry and cassava cake, egg in cassava cake, mustard seeds in curry — display clearly.

Food Business Registration

Food Supervisor Certificate

At least one person on site.

Food Handler Certificate

Every person handling food.

Public Liability Insurance

LPG/gas safety compliance

Cylinders secured, regulator checked, fire extinguisher on site.

Raw fish temperature control

Kokoda fish must be kept at 0–4°C at all times. Lime marinating does not cook the fish — it must be food-grade sourced and temperature controlled.

Taro leaf cooking compliance

Raw taro leaves are toxic — must be thoroughly cooked before service. Never serve raw or undercooked taro leaves.

Temperature control compliance

Curry and lovo meats above 60°C, kokoda at 0–4°C, dairy below 5°C.

Coconut tree nut allergen declaration

Coconut cream, coconut milk, and fresh coconut used throughout — must declare as tree nut allergen on all affected products.

Fish allergen declaration

Kokoda raw fish, canned tuna in palusami — must declare prominently.

Gluten allergen declaration

Roti, soy sauce, and oyster sauce in chop suey contain gluten — must declare.

Dairy allergen declaration

Butter and ghee in roti and cassava cake — must declare.

Egg allergen declaration

Eggs in cassava cake — must declare.

Mustard allergen declaration

Mustard seeds in Fijian curry tempering — must declare.

Allergen labelling compliance

Coconut, fish, gluten, dairy, egg, and mustard all present across menu.

Kava service compliance

Check market organiser and local council rules on kava service — regulations vary by state.

Electrical safety compliance

If using generator.

Market stall fee

Fuel — travel

LPG/gas

Generator fuel

If no mains power.

Kokoda-grade fish

Premium cost — order to demand, zero waste tolerance.

Limes

High volume for kokoda — price fluctuates seasonally.

Coconut cream and milk

High volume — buy in bulk cases.

Taro leaves

Source from Pacific Island grocer or Asian grocer — availability varies.

Cassava

Fresh or frozen — source from Pacific Island or African grocer.

Young coconuts

Whole coconuts for water service — buy to order.

Kava powder

Source from Fijian or Pacific Island grocer — quality varies significantly.

Ice

For kokoda temperature maintenance during transport and service.