Holiday Ayo - What are the Tongan dishes to try when visiting Tonga? What are the staple meals of The Kingdom? We go over some popular Tongan foods in this list of foods in Tonga you have to try!

Now, the Tongan dishes listed below are traditional foods with a modern twist. Traditional Tongan food is made from staple ingredients such as taro, banana, breadfruit, coconut, fish and more which are creatively combined for a multitude of tastes and experiences.

You’ll also find that contemporary Tonga has a few modern ingredients thrown into the mix, such as their fascination with corned beef – just in case you were wondering why the supermarket shelves are full of it!

1. Umu

source: TongaPocketGuide.com 

First things first, a must-try in Tonga is not a specific dish but a cooking style known as umu. Umu is a traditional Tongan cooking method where food is slow-cooked in a hot-rock oven and covered with banana leaves (or nowadays, metal sheets and some old carpets). You’ll experience umu food at cultural shows and cultural tours, while the odd accommodation may also host an umu night.

2. Lu

source: TongaPocketGuide.com

A staple of the umu and a semi-common dish you’ll find on restaurant menus in Tonga, lu combines coconut cream, taro leaves and meat, whether it’s puaka (pork), pulu (beef/corned beef) or sipi (lamb). These ingredients are then wrapped in aluminium foil (or banana leaves if done traditionally) and baked in an oven or umu for around two hours. The dish is eaten hot and typically served with a side of yams, rice or something else.

3. ‘Ota Ika

source: TongaPocketGuide.com

The easiest dish to find on restaurant menus in Tonga is ‘ota ika, which is raw fish marinated in coconut cream and citrus juice. The concoction may also have tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and/or chillis. It’s a light meal, which is good for either lunch or an entree to an evening meal.

4. Feke

source: TongaPocketGuide.com

Feke or lo’i feke is grilled octopus or squid prepared in a coconut sauce. The octopus is cooked by simmering in a pot with coconut cream and usually onions and chilli for extra flavour.

5. Faikakai

source: TongaPocketGuide.com

And for a sweet treat, look out for faikakai, which are locally grown vegetables or fruit cooked in sweet coconut syrup. For instance, try faikakai mei (breadfruit in coconut syrup), faikakai ngou’a (taro leaves), faikakai malimali (ripe bananas) or faikakai manioke tama (tapioca or cassava).