Lovo

A lovo is a Fijian feast of meat, fish and root vegetables, wrapped in leaves and cooked in an earth oven with hot stones. It is a dish for celebrations and gatherings in Fiji, and the whole meal is cooked together in one pit rather than in pots or pans.

What it really is

A lovo is a set of parcels rather than one recipe. Chicken and pork are seasoned and wrapped with fish, taro and cassava in banana leaves, and coconut milk is often poured over the food to keep it moist. The pit is lined with stones and heated with a fire until the stones are very hot. The parcels are laid on the stones, the pit is covered with more leaves and earth, and the food steams slowly for hours. The leaves are used for wrapping and are not eaten.

How it's served

• Unwrapped hot and shared from platters, usually for a group rather than one plate.
• Chicken, pork, fish and root vegetables arranged together, so each guest takes a mix of meats and vegetables.
• Eaten at the table as soon as it is opened, while still steaming.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the proteins, chicken, pork and fish, since the feast mixes them. Say whether it is one plate or a shared platter.
• Flag fish, which is the declarable allergen here, and note that coconut milk is part of the cooking.
• List taro and cassava by name, the root vegetables that guests will see.
• Say that the dish is cooked in an earth oven and that the banana leaves are not eaten, so guests do not try to eat them.
• State how many people the platter serves, because the dish is usually sold as a shared meal.