ONE of the greatest legacies of Fiji’s former British rule was the protection of native land and restriction of land sales to foreigners during the colonising years of the late 19th century. Had Fiji’s first British counsel, William Pritchard, not had so much empathy for the emerging Pacific nation, land ownership and the devastation of the native culture would surely have followed as it did in much of the colonies.
However history has been kind to Fiji, and the protection of the its nutrient-rich lands and agricultural knowledge has ensured that it has the opportunity to become a major supplier of food. Fiji is poised to feed the world in the 21st century, if we can develop our farms, distribution networks and create a demand for Fijian made and grown products.
Farm to table movement
And it all starts with the farms. Farm to table (or farm to fork) is a movement concerned with producing food locally and delivering that food to direct to consumers. It’s something we’ve always done in Fiji with roadside market stalls and outdoor markets providing a direct link to farmers and villagers.
But technology, cooking shows and social media is encouraging more people to think about buying local and cooking more local foods.
A growing farm to table movement is helping farmers generate more cash crops while providing seasonal foods that are both medicinal and delicious to eat. Watching local farmers bring out their produce on the side of the road or at the outdoor markets is nothing new in Fiji, but customer demand and curiosity is encouraging more availability and diversity.
Duruka is back
I get excited about all of Fiji’s seasonal produce; waiting patiently for Mother Nature and our farmers until their arrival. Waiting for seasonal foods is like Christmas for a chef as we can’t wait to try out old and new recipes.
Mango, pink guava, certain fish, ivi (Tahitian chestnuts), kavika (Malay rose apple) and especially duruka.
Although called Fijian or bush asparagus because of similar look and taste to its overseas cousin brother, it actually is no relation to asparagus. Duruka (botanically known as saccharum edule) is part of the grass or sugarcane family, and is found across Melanesia, Papua New Guinea and Southeast Asia.
Like all of the food plants from the Old World, it is healthy, medicinal and a great source of fibre and vitamin C. Although it may have originated in either North India or Indonesia, the modern species seems to have come out of PNG where it is known as pitpit.
The fibrous texture of duruka means that it is well suited to saucy dishes as the flower bud absorbs liquids like a sponge. This is why it works so well with coconut milk for Pacific Island dishes but in Southeast Asia other sauces that are soy or creamed based also accentuate the nutty flavour and crumbly texture of duruka.
Some Indonesian recipes use pumpkin and tomato as the sauce base, while others use soy sauce or coconut infused with herbs and spices to accentuate the young sugarcane flower.
Duruka for the world
With this delicacy now in season, the demand for this seasonal produce is not only local but overseas as well. Pacific Islanders around the world long for this reminder of home cooking, with exporters like Food Processors (Fiji) Ltd needing more than 15,000 bundles for their canning season.
Other entrepreneurial companies are exporting frozen and fresh duruka to customers in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, buying the green hybrid variety from its co-operative of farmers. The overseas demand for our fresh duruka is not only from Pacific islanders living abroad, but gourmet foodies and chefs who have discovered another of our exotic Fijian grown exports.
One company says it exports 300-400 kg of fresh duruka every week during the main season, with more than six to seven tonnes of frozen duruka exported globally. Agricultural projects continue to expand the number of duruka farms to ensure exporters have an abundant and consistent supply throughout the season.
Ministerial duruka lunch
You can probably count on one hand the number of local recipes for duruka (I’m thinking in coconut milk or curry? but this tropical delicacy has been used in countless recipes in PNG, Indonesia, India and most of the Southeast Asian countries. A change in sauce, cooking technique or the addition of other vegetables in a dish can turn duruka into a truly Fijian dish worthy of any top restaurant in the world.
At a recent ministerial lunch for the Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Faiyaz Koya, I surprised his delegation with an unexpected new dish; duruka with mushrooms in coconut milk. The earthy flavour of mushrooms, especially Fiji’s new cultivated Asian mushrooms from Bula Mushrooms in Tacirua in Suva or the Legalega Research Station in Nadi, offer a meaty component to a vegetarian dish.
Both companies can be found on Facebook at their respective pages.
The combination of medicinal fresh mushrooms with the vitamin C-enriched duruka and smoked coconut milk was a huge hit for the local crowd. The secret to its flavour begins with the charring of the duruka inside its sheath to both roast and steam the flower bud, before simmering it in freshly squeezed coconut that has just been scorched with a hot stone, and serving it with local mushrooms sautéed in butter or ghee.
What does it taste like? Think creamy, buttery, earthy and floral flavours. Despite duruka’s origins in other countries, our cane-growing experience and abundant nutrient-rich land has enabled Fiji to stake its claim as the home and custodian of this ancient delicacy.
* Lance Seeto is culinary ambassador for Fiji Airways and the Ministry of Industry, Trade & Tourism, and television host of “Taste of Paradise”.
