A taste of Fiji has come to the Weekend Sunrise kitchen, with a fresh and flavour-packed take on ceviche.
Kokoda, pronounced ko-kon-da, combines citrus-cured seafood with creamy coconut Miti, fresh chilli and aromatic herbs for a dish that’s zesty, creamy and full of island flavour.
Fuzz Ali has shown us how to make the traditional Fijian favourite, from perfectly curing the seafood in fresh lemon juice to making the creamy coconut sauce that brings it all together.
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Part 1: The Seafood
500g firm white fish fillets, skinless and boneless (mahi mahi, snapper, kingfish or ling), or 500g raw prawn meat, peeled and deveined
Juice of 5 lemons (about 200ml)
1 chilli, finely diced
1 teaspoon salt
Method
1. Cut the fish into roughly 1.5cm cubes. If using prawns, cut small ones in two or cute larger ones in three. Place in a glass or ceramic bowl.
2. Toss with chilli and salt before pouring over lemon juice and mixing well.
3. Cover and refrigerate. Fish needs 1 to 2 hours and is ready when the outside has turned opaque white and feels firm. Prawns cure faster, so check at 45 minutes and take them out once they’ve turned pink and opaque all the way through, usually within an hour. Don’t leave either much longer or the texture starts to tighten.
4. Drain off about 80% of the lemon juice. Keep the rest in the bowl with the seafood.
Part 2: The Miti (Fijian coconut sauce)
400ml coconut milk (1 can)
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1 chilli, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste
Method
1. Pour the coconut milk into a bowl and stir in the lemon juice, lime juice and a good pinch of salt.
2. Add the spring onion and chilli and stir through.
3. Taste and adjust the salt. It should be creamy, sharp and gently hot.
Bringing It Together
Pour the miti over the cured seafood and fold gently until everything is coated.
Chill for 15 minutes so the flavours settle, then serve cold.
Add any optional extras (see below).
Pick one or two, all finely diced:
Mango, for sweetness against the citrus
Cucumber, deseeded, for crunch
Tomato, deseeded
Red onion
To Serve
Serve with taro, sweet potato or plantain chips for scooping. Corn chips work perfectly well if you’re in a crunch.
