Kokoda is Fiji's version of a raw fish dish found across the Pacific. Cubes of firm white fish are cured in lime or lemon juice until they turn opaque, then mixed with coconut milk, chopped tomato, cucumber, onion, chilli and herbs. It is fresh, bright and dairy-free, and you will find it everywhere from resort lunch menus to home-style cafés and family feasts.
Here is where it comes from, what goes into it, where to try a good one in Fiji, and how to make a simple version at home.
A Pacific dish with a Fijian name
Kokoda belongs to a family of dishes eaten across Oceania: raw fish marinated in citrus and finished with coconut milk. The regional overview lists many local names:
| Country or territory | Name |
|---|---|
| Fiji | Kokoda |
| Tonga and Niue | ʻOta ʻika |
| Samoa | Oka iʻa |
| French Polynesia | Poisson cru (iʻa ota) |
| Cook Islands and New Zealand | Ika mata |
The method is much the same everywhere. The fish is briefly cured in citrus until the surface turns opaque, then mixed with coconut milk and diced vegetables. Similar dishes include ceviche in Latin America and kinilaw in the Philippines. If you have eaten poisson cru in Tahiti, kokoda will taste familiar. Seasoning and garnishes vary from cook to cook and island to island.
What goes into kokoda
- Fish: Tourism Fiji's recipe uses walu (Spanish mackerel), or another firm white fillet such as snapper or wahoo, cut into 1 cm cubes. Firm flesh holds its shape in the acid and coconut.
- Citrus: fresh lime or lemon juice, enough to cover the fish. This is the "cure" that turns the flesh white.
- Miti (coconut milk): canned works fine. In Fiji it is often made fresh by grating coconut and squeezing out the milk, sometimes with a little salt, onion and lime.
- Vegetables: finely chopped onion, tomato and firm cucumber add crunch and colour.
- Heat and herbs: fresh chilli, coriander and spring onion, plus salt and pepper.
The balance is the point: sharp citrus, rich coconut, cool cucumber and a kick of chilli. It works as a starter, a light lunch with root vegetables, or one dish in a bigger spread. For the wider picture of Fijian staples like dalo, cassava and rourou, see our guide to Fijian food.
Where to try kokoda in Fiji
Kokoda is easy to find, but quality varies with the freshness of the fish, so it pays to know where to look:
- Resort restaurants. Most resorts serve kokoda at lunch or as a starter. Tourism Fiji's CEO named the kokoda at Shangri-La Yanuca Island, on the Coral Coast, as the best he had tasted in his top 10 Fiji eats.
- Local restaurants. Tourism Fiji's list of best traditional Fijian restaurants includes Nadina at Port Denarau. It serves kokoda with ota, a freshwater fern, as part of a home-style seafood menu.
- Lovo and feast nights. Many larger hotels hold a weekly lovo night, with food cooked in an earth oven on hot stones. Kokoda may well be part of the spread.
- Suva and Nadi eateries. Casual local places, especially those with seafood platters, often include kokoda. Ask what the catch of the day is.
For more ideas, see our Fijian food guide. If you want to learn to make it on the trip, look at Fijian cooking classes, and ask whether kokoda is on the class menu.
Eating raw fish safely while travelling
Kokoda is a raw-fish dish, so a few precautions make sense:
- Eat it where turnover is high. Busy resort kitchens and popular local restaurants go through fish quickly, so it is fresher.
- Know the ciguatera rule. Ciguatera is a reef-fish toxin. The CDC Yellow Book notes that it is not destroyed by cooking, freezing, pickling or salting. It advises travellers to avoid large reef fish and never to eat high-risk species such as barracuda or moray eel. Reputable kitchens choose their fish with this in mind. Ask if you are unsure.
- Think about your own health. Pregnant travellers, young children and anyone with a weakened immune system often choose to skip raw fish altogether. Many kitchens will happily serve you a cooked fish dish in coconut sauce instead.
A simple kokoda to make at home
This version, for two as a starter, is adapted from Tourism Fiji's kokoda recipe. Start with very fresh fish that your fishmonger confirms is suitable for eating raw.
Ingredients
- 150 g firm white fish fillet, skin and bones removed, cut into 1 cm cubes
- Fresh lime or lemon juice, enough to cover the fish (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 small onion, 1 large tomato and 1 firm cucumber, all finely chopped
- 1 fresh chilli, finely chopped (more or less to taste)
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander and spring onion, plus extra coriander to garnish
- Salt, pepper and lime wedges
Method
- Put the fish in a non-metallic bowl, add salt and pour over enough citrus juice to cover.
- Cover and refrigerate for about two hours, until the fish is white all the way through. Tourism Fiji suggests up to overnight for a firmer texture.
- Drain off and discard the juice.
- Stir in the coconut milk, chopped vegetables, chilli and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve cold in small bowls with a lime wedge and coriander on top.
Serve it with chilled coconut water or a fresh pineapple or passionfruit juice for a Fijian-style lunch.
Variations worth trying
- More heat: add a second chilli, or leave the seeds in, if you like it hot.
- More crunch: add diced carrot or extra green onion, which other Pacific versions often use.
- Other seafood: across the Pacific the same method is used with prawns, octopus or crab as well as fish. Ask in Fiji whether a kitchen does a seafood variation.
- Fern on the side: at Nadina, kokoda comes with ota, a freshwater fern. Watercress or young spinach makes a stand-in at home.
- On the side: pair it with boiled cassava, dalo or sweet potato for a more filling plate, the way it often appears at local meals.
Bottom line
Order kokoda early in your trip at a busy resort or a well-reviewed local restaurant, and try it again at a lovo night to compare styles. Then make it at home with very fresh fish to bring a little of Fiji back. If food is a highlight of your trip, Far & Away Adventures can build in cooking classes, market visits and feast nights.
Frequently asked questions
Is kokoda cooked?
Not with heat. The fish is cured in lime or lemon juice, which turns it opaque and firm, but it is still a raw-fish dish.
Is kokoda the same as poisson cru?
They are close cousins. Both are citrus-cured fish with coconut milk and vegetables. Kokoda is the Fijian name and poisson cru the French Polynesian one, and seasoning varies by cook.
Is kokoda gluten-free and dairy-free?
The traditional ingredients of fish, citrus, coconut milk, vegetables and herbs contain no gluten or dairy. Always confirm with the kitchen if you have an allergy or coeliac disease.