Fijian Ceviche with Coconut Milk (Kokoda)
This Fijian ceviche, known as kokoda, is made with fresh fish cured in lime juice and tossed with creamy coconut milk, chilli and crisp vegetables. Light, vibrant and refreshing, it’s the perfect seafood dish for warm weather entertaining.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 300 g fresh snapper diced into 1 cm cubes
- 3 fresh limes juiced
- ½ red onion finely chopped
- 1 spring onion finely chopped
- ½ small Lebanese cucumber finely chopped
- ½ tomato finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh coriander finely chopped
- 1 red chilli finely chopped
- 200 ml coconut milk
- Salt and black pepper to taste
To serve (optional)
- Cassava chips
- Tortilla chips
- Extra coriander or chilli slices
Instructions
- Place the diced snapper into a bowl and pour over the lime juice. Stir gently to ensure all the fish is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 6 hours. The longer the fish cures, the firmer the texture will become.
- Once the fish has cured, drain away the lime juice and discard it.
- Add the red onion, spring onion, cucumber, tomato, coriander and chilli to the bowl with the fish. Stir gently to combine.
- Pour in the coconut milk and mix until everything is evenly coated. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with cassava chips or tortilla chips, or refrigerate for another hour or two before serving to allow the flavours to develop.
Notes
- Use very fresh fish – Because the fish is not heat-cooked, purchase the freshest fish you can from a trusted fishmonger and use it the same day.
- Choose firm white fish – Snapper works beautifully, but kingfish, coral trout or mahi mahi are also excellent choices.
- Adjust curing time to taste – Shorter curing produces a softer texture, while longer curing will make the fish firmer.
- Drain the lime juice – Removing the excess lime juice prevents the dish from becoming overly acidic.
- Best served chilled – Kokoda tastes best when served cold and fresh.