Suruwa is a Fijian curry dish, typically made with any type of fish and vegetables simmered in a creamy coconut-based sauce infused with spices. This delicious coastal dish represents the cultural blend of Indo-Fijian and indigenous Fijian culinary traditions.
You can enjoy suruwa with boiled potatoes or rice.
Must Read: How to Prepare the Cook Islands’ Famous Ika Mata Dish
One-Pot Wonder: Cooking Fish Suruwa with Simple, Local Ingredients
Description
Suruwa is a Fijian curry dish, typically made with any type of fish and vegetables simmered in a creamy coconut-based sauce infused with spices. This delicious coastal dish represents the cultural blend of Indo-Fijian and indigenous Fijian culinary traditions.
Background and Origin
Suruwa traces its origins to the arrival of Indian indentured laborers in Fiji between 1879 and 1916, brought by the British to work on sugarcane plantations. With them came the vibrant traditions of Indian cooking spices, curries, and culinary techniques— which began to fuse with the tropical ingredients and customs of native Fijians.
Over time, Suruwa became a household favorite in Indo-Fijian homes and gradually became embraced across communities, symbolizing cultural exchange and unity.
Today, Suruwa is enjoyed across Fiji, especially in family meals, Sunday feasts, and village gatherings. It’s a flavorful symbol of how migration shaped the island’s food culture into something uniquely Fijian.
Ingredients
Instructions
-
How to Prepare Fijian Suruwa
- In a saucepan, put the oil on to heat. Sauté the onion for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and ginger paste. Stir and allow it to cook for 2 minutes, then add the coconut cream. Pour in a half cup of water to thin the suruwa.
- Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the curry powder, mix it thoroughly, then add the fish. Layer the chopped tomato and bok choy on top, cover the pot and allow the sauce to cook for 10 minutes.Â
- Sprinkle the lemon juice into the suruwa.
- Add salt and pepper as desired.Â
- Serve with boiled potatoes.
Video credit: BrentoBox–YouTube
Note
Tips for Cooking Fijian Suruwa
- You can marinate your fish with spices such as garlic, ginger, pepper and ground flour. Then fry them before adding them to the suruwa.Â
- If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, you can use one to two teaspoons of tomato paste.Â
- You can add water depending on how thick or thin you prefer suruwa.Â
- Among the choices of spices, you can integrate turmeric, cumin, mustard seeds, and curry powder.
- Also, include any type of vegetables as desired.
Read Also: Makayabu: A Beloved Dish from the Heart of Congo
Whether shared at a family gathering or savored on a quiet afternoon, Suruwa brings people together through the universal language of comfort food. Rich, aromatic, and rooted in history, it’s a dish that continues to nourish both body and culture across generations in Fiji and beyond.
