How to make kokoda (Fijian raw fish salad): 2 ways

This is one of my favourite dishes, and is so easy to make! I’ve had it various places around the world (Fiji, Tahiti, Peru, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Vanuatu…)

The utterly divine raw fish salad called kokoda in Fiji (pronounced kokonda) is found in all good restaurants here. It’s the same as Tahiti’s poisson cru, but one of the recipes below I got from the chef at Malamala Beach Club and while it is a complicated one (he scorches the coconut flesh before making the milk), if you have the patience, it will be the best raw fish salad you’ve tasted in your life!

Scroll down for the recipes, including the scorched coconut recipe, but first watch this easy peasy video I made in the kitchen at Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort… and try this at home!

Here is the kokoda raw fish recipe with or without scorched coconut milk from chef Lance Seeto at Malamala Beach Club:

Serves 4

• 200gm sea bass, Spanish mackerel or other dense white flesh, cut into 1″ cubes
• 8 limes or lemons, juiced
• 1-2 fresh chilli
• 1 small white onion, diced small
• 1 small firm tomato, deseeded, diced small
• 1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped fine plus keep leaves for garnish
• 1 cup scorched coconut milk * (or use tinned coconut milk as an alternative)

Scorched Coconut Milk* (this is the palaver section! – Megan)

• 2 brown dry coconuts
• 1 coconut scraper (available at SE Asian shops)
• 1 medium-sized porous stone
• gas or fire heat source
• ½ cup warm water
• 1 lemon, juiced
• pinch sea salt

Method

In a bowl, pour half the citrus juice over the cubed fish to cure. Leave covered in the refrigerator for a minimum 2 hours, or overnight until the flesh turns opaque. Strain the cured fish, dispose of the juice, and rinse in fresh water. Set aside.

To make scorched coconut milk:

• Heat the stone over an open flame until white hot
• Scrape the dry coconut using a special scraper into a stainless steel bowl. Keep shells.
• Carefully pick up the hot stone with tongs and place on the dessicated coconut
• Using the tongs and hands, carefully scorch the coconut over the stone – keep moving the stone to avoid burning the coconut too black
• Remove once all coconut is toasted
• Add the warm water and squeeze the coconut to release its ‘milk’
• Strain the coconut milk into another bowl

Combine the coconut milk with the cured fish, lemon juice, coriander, onion and tomato. Adjust seasoning with sea salt. Fill each empty coconut shell, garnish with lime wedge, chilli and coriander leaves

Copyright Malamala Beach Club / Chef Lance Seeto

Meanwhile at Outrigger Fiji Resort on the Coral Coast they have a fine dining restaurant called Ivi (pronounced Ee-Vee) and they make your kokoda at your table. You can choose how much you want of everything, like the finely chopped red onion, chilli, cucumber and the fish is already pre-marinated over night in lime juice, plus a spoonful more is added table side.

I asked if I could pop into the kitchen and video how Ivi makes their kokoda, so here it is…

At your table they will wheel a trolly with all the kokoda ingredients, ready to go…