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DISH RESEARCH · Salad

Ota Ika

'Ota ika is a Tongan raw-fish dish with lemon, coconut milk and crisp vegetables.

About Ota Ika

'Ota ika is a Tongan raw-fish dish with lemon, coconut milk and crisp vegetables. Matani and Michelle Schaaf's rendition brings together moki, spring onion, tomato, cucumber and coloured peppers.

Lemon gives the fish and dressing a sharp, fresh flavour, while coconut milk adds richness. Chilli is an optional accent, and seawater is another offered addition to the marinade.

The colourful mixture is served chilled, with small pieces of fish among the vegetables. Taro is an optional accompaniment to the creamy, citrus-flavoured salad.

Allergens in this recipe

Contains: Fish.

Other allergen details are unconfirmed.

Ingredients vary by restaurant. Confirm your allergens with staff before ordering.

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Ingredients in Ota Ika

Matani and Michelle Schaaf's Tongan 'ota ika.

Ingredient details & uncertainties

Allergen information is incomplete. Unconfirmed details do not establish that an allergen is absent.

  • Moki fillets: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Fish source-confirmed. Actual222/230 first named white-fish example; broad Fish candidate, scientific species unknown and no BlueMoki inference.
  • Lemon juice: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual231/238 lemon juice; demonstrator retains citrus224.
  • Spring onions: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual232/239–240.
  • Cucumber: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual233/239.
  • Tomato: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual234/239.
  • Coloured bell peppers: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual225/235 seeded coloured peppers/capsicums, no particular colour/cultivar inferred.
  • Canned coconut milk: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual236/227 names tin coconut milk; same tin called cream in method240, form discrepancy retained, no second dairy/coconut card.
  • Salt: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual237/240 named seasoning.
  • Pepper: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual237/240 generic pepper, colour/species/form not literal.
  • Seawater (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual223 explicitly optional marinade seawater; full dissolved composition not reconstructed.
  • Chilli peppers (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual226 optional father's sliced chilli addition.
  • Taro accompaniment (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual241 first optional service over cassava/kumara. Broad taro identity, upstream method not supplied.

Origins & food traditions

Matani and Michelle Schaaf present 'ota ika as Tongan food for guests, family celebrations and Sunday meals after church.

Countries

  • Tonga
  • TongaCatalogue link pending review

Cuisines & regions

Sources & references
  1. How to make 'ota ika (Tongan raw fish) — Charmian Smith with Matani and Michelle Schaaf, Otago Daily Times (26 July 2012)