Collection
Oceanian Seafood Recipes
A tour of Oceania through seafood: 25 authentic dishes, each tied to a real country and region, each with its cultural story and dietary swaps built in.
25 recipes
Kokoda (Fijian Coconut Ceviche)Viti Levu, Fiji · easy · 30 minFresh fish "cooked" in lime, then mellowed in rich coconut cream with chili, onion, and tomato.
Ika MataRarotonga, Cook Islands · easy · 25 minRaw fish cured in lime and bathed in fresh coconut cream with cucumber, tomato, and spring onion.
DemokNgerulmud, Palau · easy · 70 minA rich Palauan taro-leaf soup thickened with coconut cream and studded with crab or fish.
Babai with Coconut FishTarawa, Kiribati · medium · 90 minGrated giant swamp taro (babai) steamed with coconut cream, served with reef fish poached in coconut.
Bwiro with FishMajuro, Marshall Islands · medium · 65 minPreserved-breadfruit dumplings in sweet coconut, served with grilled reef fish.
Coconut Crab with TaroPalikir, Micronesia · medium · 60 minPrized coconut crab simmered in its own fat with coconut cream, served with steamed taro.
Coconut FishYaren, Nauru · easy · 30 minNauru's national dish: freshly caught tuna diced raw and steeped in thick coconut cream with lime, served cool with rice.
Fish with Slippery Cabbage & KumaraHoniara, Solomon Islands · easy · 55 minReef fish and kumara simmered in coconut cream with slippery cabbage (aibika) greens.
Pulaka with Coconut FishFunafuti, Tuvalu · medium · 75 minEarthy swamp-taro pulaka served with fish baked in coconut cream, the mainstay of atoll life.
Grilled Reef Fish with RicePalikir, Micronesia · easy · 30 minWhole reef fish grilled over coconut husks with lime and served over hot rice, a savory, protein-rich Micronesian morning plate.
Whitebait FrittersSouthland, New Zealand · easy · 20 minWhole translucent whitebait bound in barely any egg and fried golden, a South Island seasonal delicacy on white bread.
Aibika with Tinned FishHighlands, Papua New Guinea · easy · 30 minTender aibika greens simmered in coconut with tinned mackerel over rice, the honest everyday lunch of Papua New Guinea.
Marshallese Macaroni SaladMajuro, Marshall Islands · easy · 30 minA cool, creamy macaroni salad with tinned tuna and crisp vegetables, the potluck staple of the Marshall Islands.
Reef Fish with BreadfruitPalikir, Micronesia · easy · 40 minReef fish gently poached in coconut cream with ginger and lime, served over roasted breadfruit, the everyday midday plate of the Pohnpei coast.
Kiribati Palu (Marinated Reef Fish)Tarawa, Kiribati · easy · 25 minRaw reef fish cured in lime and salt, then folded through fresh coconut cream with onion and chili, a bright, no-cook lunch of the atolls.
UlkoyNgerulmud, Palau · easy · 35 minGolden fritters of grated squash and small shrimp bound with a little flour and fried crisp, a favorite Palauan snack-lunch.
Chili Taiyo (Tinned Tuna Noodles)Honiara, Solomon Islands · easy · 20 minThe Solomon Islands' favorite fast lunch: tinned Taiyo tuna tossed with noodles, fresh chili, tomato and onion into a quick, fiery plate.
Oka I'a (Samoan Raw Fish in Coconut Cream)Upolu, Samoa · easy · 20 minFresh fish cured briefly in lemon or lime, then folded into thick coconut cream with onion, tomato and cucumber.
'Ota 'Ika (Tongan Raw Fish Salad)Tongatapu, Tonga · easy · 25 minWhite fish marinated in lemon, then tossed with coconut cream and plenty of diced tomato, cucumber, capsicum and spring onion.
Lo'i Feke (Octopus in Coconut Cream)Tongatapu, Tonga · medium · 55 minTender octopus simmered gently with onion in thick coconut cream, a simple three-part island dish.
Eke Takare (Curried Octopus in Coconut Cream)Rarotonga, Cook Islands · medium · 95 minTender octopus simmered in a lightly curried coconut cream sauce, a Cook Islands seafood favourite served with rice or taro.
Reef Fish in Coconut MilkNgerulmud, Palau · easy · 35 minFresh reef fish gently simmered in coconut milk with onion, ginger and turmeric, a straightforward Palauan preparation of the day's catch.
Barramundi in Banana LeafMajuro, Marshall Islands · easy · 50 minA whole reef fish seasoned simply, wrapped tight in banana leaves and baked until sweet and buttery, one of the national dishes of the Marshall Islands.
Crab in LoloFunafuti, Tuvalu · medium · 55 minCrab simmered in lolo, a rich coconut-cream sauce with onion and garlic, a celebration dish of Tuvalu where the prized coconut crab is reserved for feasts.
Fish Baked in Coconut and PandanusYaren, Nauru · easy · 55 minFresh reef fish baked in coconut cream and wrapped with fragrant pandanus leaf, the everyday cooked counterpart to Nauru's raw coconut fish.
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