Poisson Cru
Tahiti's raw tuna salad, also called e'ia ota, part of a broader Oceanian family of citrus-and-coconut-milk-cured raw fish dishes that includes Fiji's kokoda. The real, precise distinctions: poisson cru is classically soured with fresh lime juice (Fijian kokoda traditionally uses vinegar instead, a practical adaptation to historical lime scarcity), and it's marinated only briefly — 10 to 20 minutes, just enough to firm and whiten the surface — rather than the longer, fuller citrus cure of Latin American ceviche, which lets the acid denature the fish all the way through. Coconut milk is folded in afterward in both poisson cru and kokoda, tempering the acidity, a step Latin ceviche doesn't share at all.
⚠ Contains: Fish. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 600g sushi-grade raw tuna, diced
- Juice of 4-5 limes
- 300ml coconut milk
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 tomato, diced
- 2 scallions, sliced
- Salt
Steps
- Dice the raw tuna and toss with the lime juice and salt.
- Let it sit only 10-20 minutes, just enough to firm and whiten the surface.
- Drain off the excess lime juice.
- Fold in the coconut milk, cucumber, tomato, and scallion.
- Serve immediately, chilled.