Simply Blissful Living - Taste of Fiji

One of the hardest items to "veganize" are all milk dishes and milk barfi from Fiji is just that. Its basically milk and sugar. I have been on a quest to make a vegan version of the barfi because my daughter cannot have milk due to an allergy and I am so happy with the results of this version! It has the same mouth-feel and the taste is very close! You don't really taste the coconut flavor too much and the flour helps mellow out the flavors and soak up some of the extra oil that coconut milk powder tends to create. I've used the same techinque as the classic Fiji Style Milk Barfi  and it works with this mix. I really hope you give this one a try, even if you aren't vegan :)  Ingredients 1 lb (454 grams) Coconut Milk Powder  1 cup All Purpose Flour  1-2 tsp cardamom powder (ellaichi)  [adjust as needed] For Syrup:  1.5-2 cups sugar [adjust as needed] 1 cup water  Sprinkles for decorations  Method Add flour to a pan over medium-low heat. Dry roast f...

These rotis or parathas are stuffed with delicious, spicy mashed potatoes before panfrying. They are soft and utterly delicious! I remember devouring these on weekends when my mom made them! I used to love eating these (still do) by tearing a small piece and dipping in hot tea (lal cha). So good! Ingredients: For the dough: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour ½ tsp salt ½- 3/4 cup luke-warm water 2 tbsp oil For the stuffing: 4 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed ½ tsp cumin powder ½ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp Fiji masala or garam masala 1/8 cup flour (either all purpose or whole wheat) 1/2 tsp chili powder (or to taste) Handful of cilantro salt to taste Oil or butter for applying on paratha Extra flour for dusting parathas while rolling Method: In a large bowl, mix both flours and salt well, add a little bit of water at a time and make a soft dough. Knead dough for 5 minutes and let rest covered with a damp cloth for approximately 15 minutes...

A simple, yet delicious, chutney that is a personal favorite to accompany Idlis, this coconut chutney is easy to make and easy to devour too! You can use fresh coconut or frozen grated coconut or even desiccated coconut (make wet with either coconut milk or water). Coconuts are so readily available in Fiji and this is a great way to use it up (along with hundreds of other Island recipes!) I hope you give this a try and tailor it to your likings. Ingredients: 1 cup of coconut chunks Handful of cilantro 1 Tablespoon of tamarind pulp 2 cloves of garlic 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (divided into ½ tsp portions) 2 dry red chilies (or you can use fresh) 2 sprigs of curry leaves Salt to taste Oil for tempering  Method: 1. On high heat, in any pan of your choice, dry roast coconut chunks for 5-7 minutes or until some charring or brown spots appear. 2. Add in garlic and 1 dry red chili and roast for 1 minute. 3. Add ½ tsp of cumin seeds and roast for 30-40 seconds. Do ...

Semolina (suji/sooji), milk and sugar make this delicious dessert flavored with cardamom and garnished with almonds. Suji ke Halwa is offered as prasad during Diwali to Ma Laxmi and Ganesh. It is also prepared for all religious festivities including puja and Holi. This halwa is quick and easy and a treat to prepare when unexpected guests arrive! Milk gives halwa the rich taste but you can omit milk and used water instead. Ingredients: 1/2 cup suji/rava/semolina 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 2 cups milk (evaporated or whole milk) (plant based for vegan option) 5 tbsp ghee/butter (vanaspati ghee is vegan or you can use plant based butter) 1 tsp powdered cardamom (ellaichi) 1/4 tsp nutmeg (jaifar/jaifal) 2-3 tbsp slivered almond 2 tbsp raisins (munaka) pinch of saffron (kesar) Directions: In a saucepan, mix milk, sugar and spices. Heat the sugar melts and the mix warms through.  In a pan or kadiya (kadai/wok),  add semolina and roast until golden brown. ...

Gulab jamun is a milk-based Indian sweet. Gulab, in Hindi means rose and jamun is a type of fruit that varies in shape from cylindrical to round. There are as many variations of this dessert as there are jamuns. If you order gulab jamun in an Indian restaurant, you are most likely to get soft round balls floating in syrup. This recipe is for the type of gulab jamun commonly made in Fiji. It doesn't sit in syrup for too long, is cylindrical in shape and made from condensed milk. It has a more dense texture and just steeped in syrup, not served floating in syrup. Depending on who you ask, there are, again, variations of this recipe in Fiji itself. Some like to make a simple syrup to soak these while others, like my family, like to coat them in a sugar syrup that hardens slightly. This recipe is quite simple. Just be sure to fry the Gulab Jamuns on medium low heat, otherwise you will end up with half cooked, gooey, Gulab Jamuns! On to the recipe!

This Tamarind or Imli chutney as we call it in Fiji is lip-smacking and absolutely delicious! It can be made into a thick paste or left runny, depending on your preference. This chutney is sweet, tangy, spicy and sour, all at the same time. You can easily adjust the sugar and add any other spices (fennel seeds is a additional) while preparing Imli Chutney, however I prefer it just like this. By default, this chutney is vegan, gluten free, and very simply to prepare. It can be made well in advance and will store in the refrigerator for months! Lets talk more about the star of the show, the Tamarind Tamarind is a member of the legume family, and so some may consider it a legume. It is mostly used and enjoyed like a fruit. Tamarind is a pod-like tree fruit that grows in tropical and sub-tropical areas. It can be found growing throughout the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and South Asia. The pulp that comes from pods on the Tamarind tree, can be used as the base for all sorts...

A special recipe for #Ramadan for all those celebrating! These lamb/mutton/keema samosa are so tasty and such a crowd pleaser! Great for Iftar and/or any other event/gathering. I've shared how to make cocktail/mini samosas in the video below, so do watch it for some additional tips!