ʻOta ʻika

ʻOta ʻika is a Tongan salad of raw fish dressed with citrus and coconut cream. The New Zealand Heart Foundation’s Pasifika Flavours cookbook gives a version using mullet or gurnard and lemon juice. The fish is cut into cubes, marinated in the lemon juice and drained before the remaining ingredients are added.^[1]

This recipe mixes the fish with chopped spring onion, cucumber, tomato and green or yellow pepper. Reduced-fat coconut cream and water form the dressing, seasoned with pepper. The vegetables remain in pieces around the fish, and the salad is served chilled.^[1]