The consumption of fish in Vanuatu occurs on a large scale due to its availability in abundance. It requires cooking the fish primarily with coconut and some spices for quite some time. This dish tastes fantastic with some steamed rice and also comes out as very wholesome.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• thumb-sized piece ginger, finely grated
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp shrimp paste
• 1 small red chilli, shredded (deseeded if you don't like it too hot)
• 2 lemongrass stalks, split, then bruised with a rolling pin
• 1 heaped tbsp medium curry powder
• 1 heaped tbsp light muscovado sugar
• small bunch coriander, stems finely chopped
• 400g can coconut milk
• 450g skinless hake fillets, cut into rectangles, roughly credit card size
• 220g pack frozen raw whole prawns
• 1 lime, halved
• cooked rice, to serve

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a wide, lidded frying pan, then soften the onion for 5 mins.
• Increase the heat a little, stir in the ginger, garlic, shrimp paste, chilli and lemongrass, and cook for 2 mins.
• Add the curry powder and sugar, and keep stirring. When the sugar starts to melt and everything starts to clump together, add the coriander stems, coconut milk and 2 tbsp water, then bring to a simmer.
• Add the fish to the sauce, tuck the prawns in here and there, then squeeze over half the lime.
• Pop on the lid and simmer for 5 mins more or until the hake is just cooked and flaking, and the prawns are pink through.
• Taste for seasoning, adding a squeeze more lime to the sauce if you like. Scatter over the coriander leaves and serve with rice.

Vanuatu's national cuisine, which is a must-try for every foodie. Yams, breadfruit, bananas, and taro are pounded into a paste to make laplap. Then a piece of meat, usually chicken, beef, or pork, is added, followed by coconut cream. After that, it's wrapped in banana leaves and baked underground. It's ideal for eating on the go. So, if you want to have your supper at your Vanuatu lodging, you may do so.

Ingredients

• 2 green bananas (peeled and grated)
• large sweet potatoes (peeled and grated
• 1 Chinese cabbage (rinsed and chopped)
• 1 bunch spinach (rinsed and chopped)
• 1 onion (peeled and finely chopped)
• 1 (1.4kg) chicken (spatchcocked)
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 cups coconut milk
• ½ bunch chives (sliced)
• 5 large banana leaves (spines removed)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• Salt
• Black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Soften the banana leaves by blanching them in hot water or bypassing them over an open flame for thirty (0:0:30) seconds.
• Arrange the leaves on a large baking tray, overlapping them to create a base for a parcel.
  Set aside.
• Mix the grated bananas and sweet potatoes in a bowl, and season with black pepper and salt.
• Mix the spinach and Chinese cabbage in a separate bowl, and season with black pepper and salt.
• Combine half of the coconut milk with the onions and minced garlic cloves.
• Set aside.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and add the chicken.
• Brown the chicken on both sides, skin side down.
• Set aside the chicken after cooking.
• Assemble the Lap Lap by arranging half of the spinach and cabbage mixture in the center of the banana leaves.
• Spread the sweet potato and green banana mixture over this.
• Place the chicken, skin side up, on top of the sweet potato and banana layer.
• Cover the chicken with the remaining spinach and cabbage.
• Pour the coconut milk and onion mixture over the filling.
• Wrap the banana leaves tightly over the filling, and secure with a string.
• Place the package in the preheated oven
• Bake the Lap Lap for about one (1:00) hour or until the chicken is cooked.
• Remove the package from the oven and untie the string.
• Unwrap the banana leaves and pour the remaining coconut milk over the top.
• Garnish the Lap Lap with the sliced chives and serve immediately.

Another typical dish made with tapioca (also known as manioc or cassava) bread with shredded pork filling. It's steamed after being wrapped in banana leaves. They were reminded of tamales in Mexico when eating tuluk in Vanuatu. Both have a similar premise and are quite tasty. Vanuatu's marketplaces had some of the best cuisine. And, what's more, it's delivered to them by locals. Where to locate it - The best tuluk may be found in Mele, the nearby community. Fortunately for you, the ladies sell tuluk at Port Vila's Central Market. If you want to get any, try to get there before noon, since it sells out quickly. Inquire in the marketplaces about where you can get it.

Ingredients

• cassava root (also known as yuca or manioc)
• pork butt or shoulder
• soy sauce
• green onions
• frozen banana leaves, thawed to room temperature (or fresh, if you can find them!)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• First you'll need to cook the pork. Put the pork butt into the cooker, added a good amount of soy sauce and green onions, then replaced the lid and cooked it on low for about 6 hours.
• Once the pork is cooked completely, taste it and add more seasoning if necessary. Let it cool enough so it's easy to handle with your hands.
• Peel the manioc by chopping off the ends, leaving a log. Then, use a knife to cut a slit down the side, and use your fingers to peel off the skin. It should be removed easily, but if not, use a paring knife.
• Preheat your oven or grill to 250*F.
• Using a cheese grater, rasras (grate) your manioc completely to create a pulp.
• Open up a banana leaf and spread it on the counter. After that, cut the banana leaf in half because it's quite large
• Using clean hands, take about a fist-sized amount of manioc pulp and place it in the center of the leaf. Use your fingers to flatten it into a rectangle and make a small dugout middle, without removing too much. You don't want to see the leaf underneath.
• Using clean hands, pinch a healthy amount of seasoned pork into the middle of your manioc "bowl."
• Using your fingers, mould the sides of the manioc "bowl" up and over the pork so you cover it completely. You can add more manioc if necessary. You want to cover the meat on all sides completely, but you also want to ensure there is a small ratio of manioc to meat, about 2:1.
• Use your hands to form the tuluk into a rectangle shape.
• Take the edges of the banana leaf and wrap it, covering it completely. It's ok if the leaf tears a little bit. If there are large holes, you can use ripped up banana leaf to cover them up as you wrap the tuluk.
• Roll the tuluk over so the open side is on the bottom, therefore keeping it sealed.
• Repeat until you have used all the manioc and/or meat.
• If cooking in an oven, place your wrapped tuluk on the top rack. If cooking on a grill, place on indirect heat so they don't burn. Ensure the grill remains closed for the duration of the cooking time, so heat does not escape.
• Cook the tuluk for about 45-60 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly. As it cooks, the manioc will become opaque and hard, similar to the texture of laplap.
• Remove the tuluk from the oven/grill and serve immediately. To eat, remove the banana leaf and eat with your hands!

Gordon Ramsay's roasted beef fillet is a delectable, juicy dish that takes less than an hour to prepare. This roasted fillet of beef is a good source of protein and iron, and it's paired with a spicy tomato tarragon dressing — just leave off the Tabasco if you're not a lover of heat. When cooked properly, the beef fillet – the long tenderloin muscle near the spine – is a remarkably lean piece of meat that melts in your mouth. Allow it rest for a few minutes before slicing thinly. Serve with homemade chips or fresh potatoes if you're looking for something a little more substantial.

Ingredients

• 1.2kg prime beef fillet (in one piece, cut from the thick end)
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 2tbsp olive oil
• Few handfuls of wild rocket leaves
• For The Tomato Tarragon Dressing:
• 500g (about 6) ripe plum tomatoes5tbsp ketchup (homemade is ideal)
• 2tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1tbsp Dijon mustard
• Few dashes of Tabasco sauceJuice of 1 lemon
  
• 2tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• Large handful each of tarragon and flat leaf parsley, chopped

Instructions

• Cut each tomato in half and press out the seeds to make the dressing. Place the meat in a large mixing basin and finely chop it. Mix in the other ingredients, except the herbs, well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for at least 20 minutes or until ready to serve, covered in cling film.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6 and a roasting pan to 350°F. Trim any excess fat or sinew from the beef fillet and season with salt and pepper all over. Using a little olive oil, heat a nonstick frying pan. Add the beef to the pan when it is extremely hot and sear for 112-2 minutes on each side, or until uniformly browned all over.
• Oil the heated roasting pan lightly. Place the steak in a roasting pan and cook it in the oven. Roast for 25 minutes for medium rare beef; when softly touched, it should feel springy. Place the fish on a heated dish to rest for 10 minutes.
• Warm or at room temperature, serve the meat. On a serving dish, slice it thickly and overlap the slices. Place therocket in the middle. Pour the tomato tarragon dressing over the steak and stir in the chopped herbs. If desired, serve with fresh potatoes.

A local snapper type known for its distinct flavor, which is reported to taste like chicken. According to legend, this is why the fish was given the name "poulet fish," which means "chicken fish" in French. This poulet fish is available in a variety of preparations, and it is a must-try in Vanuatu. It was best served poached in white wine with capers and onions over a bed of steaming spinach. Where to look for it: Cafe Vila is simply a short local taxi ride (100vt per person) from Port Vila's center. This restaurant and bar is part of the lovely Nasama Resort, which is an excellent choice for a Vanuatu holiday.

Ingredients

• 1 small lap-lap leaf or banana leaf
• 120g sweet potato (kumala), sliced
• 25-30g broccoli florets
• 25-30g cauliflower florets
• 25-30g carrot slices
• 200g fillet vanuatu poulet fish (local snapper), pin-boned
• 3 slices tomato
• 3 slices lemon or lime
• 150ml coconut cream (use fresh if available)
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons coriander leaves, finely chopped

Instructions

• Wave the lap-lap or banana leaf over a naked flame to soften the leaf and make it pliable. Lay the lap-lap leaf on a shallow dish to make a small well.Neatly arrange the vegetables in the middle of the leaf.
• Place the poulet fish fillet on top of the vegetables.
• Carefully arrange the tomato and lemon on the fish, season coconut cream with salt and pepper and slowly pour in. Sprinkle coriander on top.
• Slowly wrap the parcel and tie with the butcher string.
• Place in the steamer pot and steam for approximately 15 minutes.