6 Unique Foods in Tonga You Have to Try
Posted by Maris on 7th Nov 2023
What Tongan cuisine should you try while visiting Tonga? What are The Kingdom's staple foods? In this list of distinctive Tonga dishes you must eat, we discuss five popular Tongan delicacies.
The Tongan meals described below are traditional dishes with a contemporary touch. While Tongans traditionally ate a variety of meats and seafood, contemporary Tonga is obsessed with corned beef. However, one continuing practice is that many Tongan delicacies are cooked in an umu, which is a Polynesian-style underground oven. This latter experience is still available at numerous Tongan banquets and cultural displays nowadays.
Lu pulu
Lu pulu, a semi-common dish on Tonga restaurant menus, blends coconut milk, onions, tomatoes, and canned corned meat (Tongans adore corned beef, which is usually imported from New Zealand). These ingredients are then wrapped in taro leaves, then wrapped in aluminum foil (or banana leaves if done traditionally), and cooked for two hours in an oven or umu (traditional underground oven). The meal is often served hot with a side of yams, rice, or something else.
'Ota Ika'
The most common meal on Tonga restaurant menus is 'ota ika,' which is raw fish marinated in coconut cream and lemon juice. Tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and/or chillis may also be added to the mixture. It's a small meal that can be served for lunch or as an entree to an evening meal. Check out the Tongan Restaurant section of the Guide to the Best Eats & Restaurants in Tonga for some options.
Kapisi pulu
Kapisi pulu, like lu pulu, is cooked with tinned corned beef, tomatoes, onions, and coconut cream instead of taro leaves. These ingredients are blended, then wrapped in cabbage leaves and baked for one to one and a half hours in an oven or an umu. Kapisi pulu is sometimes served with kumala, which is a sweet potato.
Feke
Feke, also known as lo'i feke, is grilled octopus or squid in a coconut sauce. The octopus is cooked in a pot with coconut milk and, frequently, onions for flavor.
Faikakai topa
Look for faikakai topai, which are dumplings in sweet coconut syrup, for a delicious treat. Topai (dumplings) can be replaced with faikakai mei (breadfruit in coconut syrup), faikakai ngou'a (taro leaves), faikakai malimali (ripe bananas), or faikakai manioke tama (tapioca or cassava). Learn more about the many types of fruit in the article 10 Exotic Fruits in Tonga You Must Try.
Keki
Keki, which are Tongan-style doughnuts, are another sinful pleasure worth tasting. They are round deep-fried dough balls available in bakeries around Nuku'alofa, as well as the Matuku-ae-tau Bakery in Pangai and Lifuka Island in Ha'apai.