Christmas Island cuisine

Last updated
Christmas Island cuisine
Country or region Christmas Island
See also Chinese Australian cuisine, Malay cuisine

The cuisine of Christmas Island can best be described as an eclectic combination of traditional Australian cuisine and Asian cuisine, particularly meals from Malaysia and Indonesia. [1]

Contents

Population

As of 2009, the island had just 1,200 residents: 65% Chinese Malaysians, 20% Malaysian Malays, and 15% of European descent. There are also small Malaysian Indian and Eurasian communities on the island. [2]

Previously an additional 2,000+ people lived at the Christmas Island Immigration Reception and Processing Centre. Their meals were flown in by the Australian Government via operator Serco. [2] The centre was closed in October 2018 but re-opened in 2019, and as of early 2020 hosted only one family of Tamil asylum seekers.

Food supply

Christmas Island Supermarket; one of the few supplies of fresh produce on the island. Christmas Island (5775097562).jpg
Christmas Island Supermarket; one of the few supplies of fresh produce on the island.

Almost no fresh food is grown on the island due to nematodes in the soil. [2] However, there are three local gardens on the island that cultivate small amounts of Asian greens. These include a community garden at Drumsite, another small community vegetable patch in Poon Saan, and a temple garden, also located in Poon Saan. Notably, these community gardens feature garden beds built up out of the soil to prevent worms from reaching the surface and risking dehydration, thereby preserving the roots of the vegetables. Some of the Asian greens and vegetables grown in these gardens include bok choy, choy sum, kangkong, Chinese mustard, eggplant, and okra, among others.

Locals rely on government-contracted deliveries of fresh food from mainland Australia. As of November 2013, an additional air-freight of vegetables arrives from Malaysia via Indonesia every Friday night for purchase on Saturday morning. This air-freight mainly caters to the tastes of the local community, offering fresh noodles, Asian greens, fish, pork belly, bones and fillets, as well as other packaged foods like fish balls and tofu.

In recent years, the supply of fresh food has been affected by a number of major incidents. In January 2012, the MV Tycoon crashed into the island's main dock at Flying Fish Cove, preventing subsequent fresh-food deliveries from reaching the island. [3] When food supplies by ship are not available, air-freighted deliveries have been known to sell out within hours. [2]

Wild food

Due to the tropical nature of Christmas Island's weather, a wide variety of food grows wild on the island. Fruit trees are found dotted around the island and on private properties. Some of the things that can be found by foraging on Christmas Island include:

Many other well known tropical fruits such as rambutan, lychee and durian do not grow on Christmas Island as there is inadequate soil depth and not enough steady rainfall throughout the year.

Meals

As a result of supply issues, whole fresh produce can be difficult to acquire and so meals that make use of processed foods and canned foods are popular.

Traditionally, chickens were kept on the island and locals produced their own pickled eggs and Chinese century eggs. Dishes that made use of the chickens themselves were popular along with dishes that included local coconut crabs. [4] However, coconut crabs are now a protected species.

Places to eat out

The island has a number of noodle bars offering Chinese and Malaysian dishes in accordance with the traditional cuisines of the island's residents. [1]

There are 10 places to eat out on Christmas Island

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine</span> Characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions

A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, customs, and ingredients combine to enable dishes unique to a region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thai cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Thailand

Thai cuisine is the national cuisine of Thailand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Costa Rican cuisine</span> Cuisine originating from Costa Rica

Costa Rican cuisine is known for being mostly mild, with high reliance on fruits and vegetables. Rice and black beans are a staple of most traditional Costa Rican meals, often served three times a day. Costa Rican fare is nutritionally well rounded, and nearly always cooked from scratch from fresh ingredients. Owing to the location of the country, tropical fruits and vegetables are readily available and included in the local cuisine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lao cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Laos

Lao cuisine or Laotian cuisine is the national cuisine of Laos.

Indian cuisine consists of a variety of regional and traditional cuisines native to the Indian subcontinent. Given the diversity in soil, climate, culture, ethnic groups, and occupations, these cuisines vary substantially and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables, and fruits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malaysian cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Malaysia

Malaysian cuisine consists of cooking traditions and practices found in Malaysia, and reflects the multi-ethnic makeup of its population. The vast majority of Malaysia's population can roughly be divided among three major ethnic groups: Malays, Chinese and Indians. The remainder consists of the indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia, the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia, the Peranakan and Eurasian creole communities, as well as a significant number of foreign workers and expatriates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nasi lemak</span> Traditional Malay breakfast item

Nasi lemak is a dish originating in Malay cuisine that consists of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. It is commonly found in Malaysia, where it is considered the national dish. It is also a native dish in neighbouring areas with significant ethnic Malay populations such as Singapore and Southern Thailand. In Indonesia, it can be found in several parts of Sumatra, especially the Malay regions of Riau, Riau Islands and Medan. It is considered an essential dish for a typical Malay-style breakfast. Nasi lemak is featured as a national dish in Malaysian tourism brochures and promotional materials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indonesian cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Indonesia

Indonesian cuisine is a collection of various regional culinary traditions that formed in the archipelagic nation of Indonesia. There are a wide variety of recipes and cuisines in part because Indonesia is composed of approximately 6,000 populated islands of the total 17,508 in the world's largest archipelago, with more than 1,300 ethnic groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rijsttafel</span> Indonesian rice table buffet

Rijsttafel, a Dutch word that literally translates to "rice table", is an Indonesian elaborate meal adapted by the Dutch following the hidang presentation of nasi padang from the Padang region of West Sumatra. It consists of many side dishes served in small portions, accompanied by rice prepared in several different ways. Popular side dishes include egg rolls, sambals, satay, fish, fruit, vegetables, pickles, and nuts. In most areas where it is served, such as the Netherlands, and other areas of strong Dutch influence, it is known under its Dutch name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine of Hawaii</span> Food and drinks from Hawaii

The cuisine of Hawaii incorporates five distinct styles of food, reflecting the diverse food history of settlement and immigration in the Hawaiian Islands.[a]

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Filipino cuisine</span> Culinary tradition

Filipino cuisine is composed of cuisines of more than hundred distinct ethnolinguistic groups found throughout the Philippine archipelago. A majority of mainstream Filipino dishes that compose Filipino cuisine are from the food traditions of various ethnolinguistic groups and tribes of the archipelago, including the Ilocano, Pangasinan, Kapampangan, Tagalog, Bicolano, Visayan, Chavacano, and Maranao ethnolinguistic groups. The dishes associated with these groups evolved over the centuries from a largely indigenous base shared with maritime Southeast Asia with varied influences from Chinese, Indian, Japanese, European, Spanish, and American cuisines, in line with the major waves of influence that had enriched the cultures of the archipelago, and adapted using indigenous ingredients to meet local preferences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rice vermicelli</span> Thin dried noodles made of rice

Rice vermicelli is a thin form of noodle. It is sometimes referred to as "rice noodles" or "rice sticks", but should not be confused with cellophane noodles, a different Asian type of vermicelli made from mung bean starch or rice starch rather than rice grains themselves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peranakan cuisine</span> Cuisine of the Straits Chinese people

Peranakan cuisine or Nyonya cuisine comes from the Peranakans, descendants of early Chinese migrants who settled in Penang, Malacca, Singapore and Indonesia, inter-marrying with local Malays. In Baba Malay, a female Peranakan is known as a nonya, and a male Peranakan is known as a baba. The cuisine combines Chinese, Malay, Javanese, South Indian, and other influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanuatuan cuisine</span>

The cuisine of Vanuatu incorporates fish, root vegetables such as taro and yams, fruits, and vegetables. Most island families grow food in their gardens, and food shortages are rare. Papayas, pineapples, mangoes, plantains, and sweet potatoes are abundant through much of the year. Coconut milk and cream are used to flavour many dishes. Most food is cooked using hot stones or through boiling and steaming; little food is fried. Since Vanuatu is one of the few South Pacific regions influenced by the outside world, Vanuatu's food has a multicultural nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malaysian Indian cuisine</span> Cuisine of ethnic Indian communities of Malaysia

Malaysian Indian cuisine, or the cooking of the ethnic Indian communities in Malaysia, consists of adaptations of authentic dishes from India, as well as original creations inspired by the diverse food culture of Malaysia. Because the vast majority of Malaysia's Indian community are of South Indian descent, and are mostly ethnic Tamils who are descendants of immigrants from a historical region which consists of the modern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka's Northern Province, much of Malaysian Indian cuisine is predominantly South Indian inspired in character and taste. A typical Malaysian Indian dish is likely to be redolent with curry leaves, whole and powdered spice, and contains fresh coconut in various forms. Ghee is still widely used for cooking, although vegetable oils and refined palm oils are now commonplace in home kitchens. Before a meal it is customary to wash hands as cutlery is often not used while eating, with the exception of a serving spoon for each respective dish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balinese cuisine</span> Cuisine tradition from the Island of Bali

Balinese cuisine is a cuisine tradition of Balinese people from the volcanic island of Bali. Using a variety of spices, blended with the fresh vegetables, meat and fish. Part of Indonesian cuisine, it demonstrates indigenous traditions, as well as influences from other Indonesian regional cuisine, Chinese and Indian. The island's inhabitants are predominantly Hindu and culinary traditions are somewhat distinct with the rest of Indonesia, with festivals and religious celebrations including many special foods prepared as the offerings for the deities, as well as other dishes consumed communally during the celebrations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oceanian cuisine</span> Cuisine native to the South Pacific

The cuisines of Oceania include those found on Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea, and also cuisines from many other islands or island groups throughout Oceania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seychellois cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Seychelles

Seychellois cuisine is the cuisine of the Republic of Seychelles, an archipelago country consisting of 115 islands. Fish plays a prominent part in country's cuisine because of its location in the Indian Ocean. The Seychelles's cuisine has been influenced by African, British, French, Spanish, Indian and Chinese cuisines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Chinese cuisine</span>

Australian Chinese cuisine is a style of cooking developed by Australians of Chinese descent, who adapted dishes to satisfy local Anglo-Celtic tastes. Its roots can be traced to indentured Chinese who were brought to work as cooks in country pubs and sheep stations.

References

  1. 1 2 Christmas Island: Food by Mark Rochfort (Shorefire, 2006)
  2. 1 2 3 4 No paradise on Christmas Island by Paige Taylor (The Australian, 25 May 2009)
  3. Fresh food fears for Christmas Island by Rebecca Trigger (The West Australian, 10 January 2012)
  4. Christmas Island: An Anthropological Study. Cambria Press. 2008. pp. 109–. ISBN   978-1-60497-510-9 . Retrieved 26 April 2013.