Fiji (Oceania) 1 November 2020

Fiji is located in the continent of Oceania. It has the Pacific Ocean and Wallis and Futuna (France) to the north, Tonga to the east, New Zealand to the far south, New Caledonia (France) to the southwest, Australia to the far southwest, Vanuatu to the west and the Solomon Islands to the far northwest.

The capital is Suva.

The official languages are English, lTaukei (Fijian), and Hindi.

The climate is average high in the summer (mid-80sF), and average low in winter (high 60sF). November through March is when they receive the highest rain. The staples are cassava, seafood, dalo, bananas, guavas, mangos, pineapple, breadfruit, cacao, papaya, coconut milk, canola oil, soy sauce, curry powder (https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/feasting-fiji#:~:text=Seafood%2C%20dalo%2C%20and%20cassava%20are,is%20lolo%2C%20or%20coconut%20milk.).

https://www.britannica.com/place/Fiji-republic-Pacific-Ocean

FIJIAN RORO (stew of greens) + BOILED CASSAVA (http://thegentlemansplate.com/fijian-roro-recipe/):

• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach (frozen section with Kroeger brand)
• 14 oz can of coconut milk
•  2 C water
• ½ C onions, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic paste, or small cloves, chopped
• ½ lime, to taste
• 2-3 thai chili’s, or to taste
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1-2 cassava root (dependent on your needs) (you can find cassava root at a Mexican store)

1. Removes the frozen chopped spinach out of the wrapper, and place on a microwave safe plate and heat for 1-1/2 minutes on high in your microwave oven, until it has mostly thawed.
2. In a medium sauce pan, bring one cup of water to a boil.
3. Add the chopped onion, garlic paste, chilis, and salt and simmer with the lid closed until tender (about 4 minutes).
4. Add the spinach to the pot, adding more water if needed (it should be just covering the spinach).
5. Let the spinach cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, until the milk thickens and absorbs all of the flavor.
6. Add an additional cup of water at this stage, to prevent the coconut milk from burning; boil until you reach a desired consistency (similar to a Thai curry).
7. Season with the juice of half a lime, adding more lime and salt per your taste.
8. To prepare the cassava, peel the cassava like a potato.
9. Bring a quart of water to a boil and cook the cassava the same way you would a potato, by boiling until tender in the center when poked with a fork or a knife.
10.  Strain and let it rest before serving.

LOLO BUNS (https://www.mycookingjourney.com/lolo-buns-fijian-coconut-buns/): Makes 6 big buns.

• 2 C All-Purpose flour
• 1 TBSP Vital Wheat Gluten
• ½ TBSP Instant Yeast
• 3 TBSP Sugar alternative
• 1 tsp Salt
• 4 TBSP Butter, melted
• 1 C Milk, lukewarm
• 1 C Coconut Milk

1. Combine the flour, vital wheat gluten, instant yeast, sugar and salt in the mixing bowl.
2. Melt the butter and add it to the flour mixture.
3. Slowly add the warm milk to the flour mixture and knead to make a very soft dough.
4. Make a ball out of the dough and place it in an oiled bowl.
5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel and place it in a warm place to rise (about and hour and a half).
6. Once the dough has risen for the first time, gently punch it down and divide it into 6 equal pieces.
7. Roll each piece into a ball and place it in a greased baking dish (I use the pyrex).
8. Cover the dough again and let it rise for the second time (about a little less than an hour).
9. When the dough is rising for the second time, prepare the coconut milk if you are making from scratch.
10. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
11. Once the dough rises, add the coconut milk on top of the buns.  One cup of coconut milk is enough.  Do not add more as it will start to splatter in the oven when baking
12. Bake the rolls for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the buns are golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped.
13. The base of the buns will be moist as it is also steaming in the coconut milk. 
14. By the end of the baking time, you will also notice that the coconut milk has almost been absorbed.

KETO COCONUT CAKE (https://www.sweetashoney.co/keto-coconut-cake/):

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 C coconut cream canned, full fat, shake the can before measuring, or use heavy cream
• ½ C Erythritol (sugar substitute)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp Pure coconut extract
• ¾ C coconut flour fresh, no lumps, measure precisely
• ½ C unsweetened desiccated coconut (dehydrated, or dry)
• 2 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9-inch cake pan with coconut oil or butter.  Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric beater on low / medium speed, beat the eggs with coconut cream, erythritol, coconut extract and vanilla for 30-45 seconds or until slightly light in color.
4. Beat in the coconut flour and baking powder until the batter is shiny and has no lumps.  Stop the beater and stir-in the desiccated coconut.
5. Transfer the coconut cake batter onto the prepared cake pan and spread evenly.
6. Bake in center rack for 20-25 minutes on fan-mode or for 30-35 minutes on regular mode.  I recommend you insert a pick in the center of the cake every 5 minutes from 20 minutes of baking.  If it comes out clean or with a little bit of crumb, it’s cooked.  This is the best way to prevent a coconut flour cake from overbaking and getting dry (you want the crumb to be soft and moist!)
7.  Cool 5 minutes in the pan then transfer onto a cooling rack.
8. Cool 1 hour on the rack or wait until it reaches room temperature to frost. 
9. ***Only make the frosting 10 minutes before frosting the cake or if you want to make the frosting ahead, don’t store in the fridge or it will get hard and difficult to spread. ***

*** CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:***

• 4.4 oz cream cheese, soft, at room temperature, cubed
• ¼ C sugar-free powdered sweetener
• ¼ C coconut cream canned, full fat, shake the can before measuring, or use heavy cream
• 1 tsp Pure coconut extract

1. To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese with coconut cream, coconut extract and powdered erythritol until fluffy.  If too thick, add more coconut cream until it reaches a texture you love.
2. Spread the icing on top of the cake and serve with extra toasted desiccated (dry) coconut.

Store the cake in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze in an airtight box.