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Fijian · Pacific Island

Ika vakalolo

Non-vegetarian

Fijian fish gently poached in seasoned coconut cream (lolo) with onion, garlic, ginger, tomato and chilli — rich, mild and ready in half an hour.

Ika vakalolo is a Fijian main course, ready in about 35 minutes and made with white fish fillet and coconut cream. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
20 min
Total
35 min
Serves
4
Level
Beginner
Calories
502

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Season the fish with half the salt.

    • 2 min

  2. Step 2

    Soften the onion (opens in a new tab) in the oil in a wide pan, then add the garlic (opens in a new tab), ginger, tomato (opens in a new tab) and chilli and cook until the tomato collapses.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Pour in the coconut cream (opens in a new tab) with the remaining salt and bring to a bare simmer. Lay in the fish, spoon the sauce over and poach gently, without stirring, for 8–10 minutes until it flakes.

    • 10 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Fish should reach 63 °C and flake easily.

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Finish with lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and spring onion (opens in a new tab). Serve with boiled cassava (opens in a new tab) or rice.

    • 1 min

    Food safety: Cassava must always be peeled and boiled until fully tender.

    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Fiji · Commonly attributedMore food from Fiji
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Main courses
Cooking method
Simmered, Poached
Taste
creamy, mild, aromatic / warmly spiced, spicy (chilli heat)
Diet
Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pan · Everyday
Cook more with
White fish fillet · Coconut cream · Onion · Garlic · Fresh ginger · Tomato
Techniques
Simmering · Poaching

Allergens

  • Contains: Fishfrom white fish fillet

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

502 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 359 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 22%
  • Carbohydrate 10%
  • Fat 67%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy502 kcal140 kcal
Protein29.3 g8.2 g
Carbohydrate13.6 g3.8 g
Net carbohydrate9.9 g2.8 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre3.7 g1 g
Fat39 g10.8 g
Saturated fat31.2 g8.7 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol81 mg23 mg
Sodium767 mg213 mg
Salt equivalent1.9 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
984 mg
Calcium
50 mg
Iron
2.9 mg
Magnesium
73 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
55 µg
Vitamin C
19 mg
Vitamin D
0.8 µg
Vitamin B12
2.7 µg
Folate (DFE)
61 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: cassava.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Keep the coconut cream just below a simmer so it does not split.

Serve with

  • With tavioka (cassava), dalo (taro) or rice and rourou.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 1 day.

Reheating

  • Reheat very gently, without boiling.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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