Raw Fish

Raw fish, oka, ceviche, is a delicious dish from the Pacific. I was inspired to share my best raw fish recipe after eating delicious raw fish at the Rotorua Summer Seafood Festival last month. It was a fabulous event with outstanding food and entertainment on a beautiful sunny day in Rotorua.

Raw fish is effectively “cooked” by the lemon/lime juice. It is great served with a light summer salad of torn iceberg leaves and cucumber slices.

4 serves

What you’ll need:

300-400g white fish cut into small bite size pieces. Trevally, Kahawai, Moki, Snapper  (a bit pricey), Tarakihi or whichever is freshest at the fish market on the day, I have listed New Zealand species but these could be substituted with your own white fleshed species in your region. Mackeral, Tuna, or Mahimahi are fine substitutes.

1 spring onion (scallion) finely sliced into rounds or  half a red onion finely diced.

1 tomato peeled, deseeded and finely diced. To peel the tomato, I cut a shallow cross in the bottom of the tomato and cover it with boiling water for 30 seconds then plunge it in cold water to stop it cooking. The skin ought to just peel easily from the outside of the tomato.

Juice of a lemon or lime (more if required according to taste)

A good pinch of sea salt

Pinch of white pepper

200 mls of coconut cream or liquid dairy cream

Method:

Place the white fish in a bowl, add the salt and pepper then the diced tomato and sliced spring onion. Pour over the lemon juice  stir gently covering the fish and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Add the coconut cream or cream and stir it through the mixture. Taste it for seasoning, it should be a balance of acid and salt and creaminess from the coconut or dairy cream.

A delicious summer appetiser or lunch. For a slight South American twist, add a finely diced red or green deseeded chilli and some fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves just before service and some fresh tortillas to accompany the dish.