Takihi – a recipe for that creamy, sweet and savory Niuean treat
I’ve been told so many times about the deliciousness of the Niuean takihi and that it is a crime that I hadn't tried it already - ekkk! So naturally, I messaged my Niuean faves and asked them if they could demonstrate how to cook Niuean Takihi. In true Pacific people...
That famous pink potato salad from the Cook Islands – recipe includes homemade dressing!
For first-timers, a pink potato salad combined with mixed frozen vegetable can look weird and borderline ewww. But actually, this is one of the most well known salads in the Polynesian community... it's so yummy, you can never get enough of it. What was tricky about...
The art of making candy lei – Tongan style!
How does one create art or a tangible masterpiece out of a pile of lollies and ribbons? It is amazing how resourceful our people are in creating leis using simple things such as lollies and ribbons. Traditional materials were used in the past, such as flowers, twigs,...
savour oceania WITH US
We’re exploring the nations of Oceania, especially through our food!
Recent Recipes
3 lessons from my tūpuna I will never forget
A little bit about me I come from a pretty big family. I have 8 siblings however we weren’t all raised together. Only a few were raised by my parents, the others were raised by other family members. I was fortunate enough to be raised by my Nan & Pops; my mother’s...
7 things I want to know before travelling to Samoa for the first time
I’d be lying if I said I had always wanted to go to Samoa. As a second generation immigrant, life in New Zealand and all it’s comforts (first world problems) were all I had ever known. My only connection to my Samoan roots were through my grandmother Vae and...
Why Samoan panipopo is food for the soul
So… I have no idea how panipopo - those decadent buns soaked in sweet, velvety coconut cream - became a Samoan thing. I know that bakeries in Samoa are amazing, and have been for ages. Even my grandparents talked about getting up before the sun, seleni (shilling) in...
3 times in history that Samoa fought for freedom
Every Samoan should be proud to know these stories from our history. These will make great bedtime stories for the kids, too. Tongan King vs the Sons of Atiogie In the old old days (like from 1200 to 1300), Samoa was ruled by Tonga. For 100 years even! It's ancient...
Are you using the word “Uso” correctly?
Uso! (or Uce!) Toko! Siana! All terms we use - from different islands in the Pacific - to refer to our brothers. Our buds. Our ride-or-die boyeeeez. All good. But if you want to use the Samoan word uso correctly, especially if you're speaking with people (like your...
Samoan Style Chicken Curry
Here's a dish we most likely inherited from Asian settlers in the Pacific. Samoan curry is made with powdered Indian spices, but it isn't as strong or as fragrant as traditional curries. Instead it is creamier, with spices balanced in a soul-food kinda way by the...
Our Stories
3 lessons from my tūpuna I will never forget
A little bit about me I come from a pretty big family. I have 8 siblings however we weren’t all raised together. Only a few were raised by my parents, the others were raised by other family members. I was fortunate enough to be raised by my Nan & Pops; my mother’s...
7 things I want to know before travelling to Samoa for the first time
I’d be lying if I said I had always wanted to go to Samoa. As a second generation immigrant, life in New Zealand and all it’s comforts (first world problems) were all I had ever known. My only connection to my Samoan roots were through my grandmother Vae and...
Why Samoan panipopo is food for the soul
So… I have no idea how panipopo - those decadent buns soaked in sweet, velvety coconut cream - became a Samoan thing. I know that bakeries in Samoa are amazing, and have been for ages. Even my grandparents talked about getting up before the sun, seleni (shilling) in...
3 times in history that Samoa fought for freedom
Every Samoan should be proud to know these stories from our history. These will make great bedtime stories for the kids, too. Tongan King vs the Sons of Atiogie In the old old days (like from 1200 to 1300), Samoa was ruled by Tonga. For 100 years even! It's ancient...
Are you using the word “Uso” correctly?
Uso! (or Uce!) Toko! Siana! All terms we use - from different islands in the Pacific - to refer to our brothers. Our buds. Our ride-or-die boyeeeez. All good. But if you want to use the Samoan word uso correctly, especially if you're speaking with people (like your...
Samoan Style Chicken Curry
Here's a dish we most likely inherited from Asian settlers in the Pacific. Samoan curry is made with powdered Indian spices, but it isn't as strong or as fragrant as traditional curries. Instead it is creamier, with spices balanced in a soul-food kinda way by the...