I ended up taking a longer break than expected because I got COVID and didn’t feel much like cooking. However, I’m back now and hopefully won’t need another break at least until Thanksgiving! I didn’t get any feedback from Reddit this week because my post was ‘removed by Reddit’s filters’, which sucked because it was difficult to find authentic food from Nauru that I could make. I did the best I could.
Nauru, formerly known as ‘Pleasant Island’, is a tiny island country in the Micronesia region of the Central Pacific. Its closest neighbor is another island country, Kiribati.
The area was settled by Micronesians around 1000 BC, and later, in the 19th century, it was annexed and claimed as a German colony.
After World War I, Naura was administered by Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. It was occupied by the Japanese during World War II and entered into United Nations trusteeship after the war ended.
Nauru became independent in 1968, though it relies heavily on aid from the Australian government. In exchange for much of this assistance, Nauru hosts the Nauru Regional Processing Center, a controversial offshore Australian immigration detention facility.
What Do People Eat in Nauru?
Traditional Nauruan cuisine is based on local ingredients such as seafood, coconut, bananas, and pandanus fruit.
There is also a heavy Chinese influence—when I looked at restaurants in Nauru, this was evident in the range of dishes available. Nauruan cuisine also shows strong Western influence, particularly from Australia.
What I Made
Scroll down to read about other popular Nauruan dishes I didn’t make!
Fish Soup
Fish soups and stews are very popular in Nauru; they can contain all kinds of local seafood. I made a simple fish soup with catfish since I had it in the freezer, though cod would probably be a bit more authentic here.
I started by sautéing onion, then added garlic and ginger. A minute or so later, I added tomato, then poured in chicken stock. Fish or vegetable stock would be more authentic but I always have chicken stock on hand and feel it’s mild enough to still work here.
I brought the soup to a simmer, then added chopped carrots and potatoes. When they were nearly tender, I added green beans, then the fish.
Right before serving, I stirred in some coconut milk and seasoned with salt and pepper. I served this soup garnished with cilantro.
I really enjoyed this soup. What’s more, it was easy to make and pretty healthy too!
The recipe I used is from Travel & Food InfoBlog.
Coconut-Crusted Fish
During my research for this week, I found two different dishes referred to as ‘coconut fish’—this one and a dish of raw fish served in coconut milk. This version, consisting of marinated fish coated in shredded coconut and fried, was more approachable for me so that’s why I chose it.
This dish was very simple to make. I marinated my fish (catfish, since that’s what I had) in lime juice, salt, and pepper for around 10 minutes. Then I coated the fish in flour, followed by egg, and then shredded coconut (unsweetened). Traditionally, the coconut would likely be freshly grated, but I used dried.
I pan-fried the fish until browned on each side and cooked through. The recipe suggested serving it with lime wedges; I also added some potato wedges leftover from the previous night’s dinner.
This tasted pretty good, but I think I prefer regular breading on fish. I’ve never been a big coconut fan though so that’s probably why.
I only loosely followed a recipe for this, it’s from Slo Food Group.
Chop Suey (Meat & Vegetable Stir-Fry)
This is obviously not a very traditional Nauruan dish, but it’s very common in restaurants. It’s an example of Chinese influence; chop suey is popular all over the world and was allegedly invented in the US by Chinese Americans.
Chop suey can have varying ingredients, but it’s typically a stir-fry made with some kind of meat and vegetables. I decided to make chicken chop suey.
I started by coating sliced chicken thighs in a mixture of water, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, peanut oil, and cornstarch. The recipe called for chicken breasts but I’d run out.
Next, I mixed together the sauce ingredients: chicken stock, sugar, regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil, and white pepper.
I added oil to my wok and when it was hot, I added the chicken. I stir-fried it for a few minutes, then transferred it to a bowl and set it aside.
Next, I added garlic, then carrots, celery, and red bell pepper. A minute or so later, I added bok choy and deglazed the wok with a little Shaoxing wine.
I poured in the sauce and stirred in some snow peas and the cooked chicken. I brought the sauce to a simmer, then stirred in a mixture of cornstarch and water. I cooked until the sauce was thickened enough, and then my choy suey was ready.
I served this with rice and it was amazing! The recipe I used is from The Woks of Life, though I altered the vegetables a bit based on what I had and what I like.
Other Popular Nauruan Dishes
- Coconut fish – fresh fish, typically tuna, served raw in coconut milk with seasonings.
- Coconut toddy – made from the sap of the coconut palm and consumed either fresh or fermented which makes it mildly alcoholic.
Final Thoughts
I wish I’d been able to find more dishes to make this week, but everything I did make was pretty good. The chop suey was my favorite but as far as more authentic dishes go, I also really enjoyed the fish soup.
Next week, I will be cooking food from Nepal.