Find it Fiji
August 19th 2008 01:10
If Robinson Crusoe had applied a couple of entrepreneurial green thumbs to his unplanned tropical stint and opened a boutique property service specialising in flogging as yet undiscovered jewels of tropical paradise to sweaty colonial thugs, there is no doubt Fiji would have been smack bang in the middle of the display catalogue.
One of the many jewels in the crown of the South Pacific, Fiji is most commonly associated with ribbons of white sand beaches, small coral cays, thick jungle highlands, traditional ceremonies and kava. But it’s the curry which has me returning time and time again to the old colonial outpost of Suva, the country’s capital city situated on the main island of Viti Levu.
Time for a trip through the history books? In the late 1800’s the questionable wisdom of Fiji’s British colonial forefathers saw the influx of thousands of indentured Indian labourers brought in to work on the sugar plantations. Following the abolishment of the indentured system many Indians, and their culinary prowess, stayed on and today Indo Fijians represent almost 50% of the country’s population.
And the curry? Thali is a personalized Indian smorgasboard seemingly designed for those of us who are hampered by the evil Dictator of Indecision. If you have ever experienced curry anxiety while faced with a list of curries as long as a yoga guru’s hair, thali is your sedative. Served in the ubiquitous Indian stainless steel bowl and tray set, thali is a small portion of just about everything. A smidgen of a meat-based curry, a sprinkling of vegetarian curry, rice, naan, a warm onion bahji and a dollop of soothing cucumber raita. It’s everything on the menu rolled into a picnic for one.
If you are lucky enough to find yourself in Suva, head to the ruins of the Grand Pacific Hotel on the beach front and wander through the crumbling remains of the elegant ballroom, climb the grand staircase and imagine yourself in the heady heyday of the British empire heading down to the reception hall for a stiff G ‘n T. After you’ve satisfied your Titanic-esque imagination, wander up the street to the city’s best South Indian Thali house and indulge in the tastiest Indian thali this side of Rajasthan.
One of the many jewels in the crown of the South Pacific, Fiji is most commonly associated with ribbons of white sand beaches, small coral cays, thick jungle highlands, traditional ceremonies and kava. But it’s the curry which has me returning time and time again to the old colonial outpost of Suva, the country’s capital city situated on the main island of Viti Levu.
Time for a trip through the history books? In the late 1800’s the questionable wisdom of Fiji’s British colonial forefathers saw the influx of thousands of indentured Indian labourers brought in to work on the sugar plantations. Following the abolishment of the indentured system many Indians, and their culinary prowess, stayed on and today Indo Fijians represent almost 50% of the country’s population.
And the curry? Thali is a personalized Indian smorgasboard seemingly designed for those of us who are hampered by the evil Dictator of Indecision. If you have ever experienced curry anxiety while faced with a list of curries as long as a yoga guru’s hair, thali is your sedative. Served in the ubiquitous Indian stainless steel bowl and tray set, thali is a small portion of just about everything. A smidgen of a meat-based curry, a sprinkling of vegetarian curry, rice, naan, a warm onion bahji and a dollop of soothing cucumber raita. It’s everything on the menu rolled into a picnic for one.
If you are lucky enough to find yourself in Suva, head to the ruins of the Grand Pacific Hotel on the beach front and wander through the crumbling remains of the elegant ballroom, climb the grand staircase and imagine yourself in the heady heyday of the British empire heading down to the reception hall for a stiff G ‘n T. After you’ve satisfied your Titanic-esque imagination, wander up the street to the city’s best South Indian Thali house and indulge in the tastiest Indian thali this side of Rajasthan.
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