Recipe: Tongan Recipes for Dawn - Mango Otai, Green pawpaw (lechoza) Salad, Cassava Balls, Kokoda (Raw Fish in Coconut Milk)

Mango OTAI
Otai is a dish that you can prepare when mango is plentiful on your tree at home or in the market. It is a good way of introducing mango to small children who do not like mangoes. Otai is nice on a hot day when you do not need to eat a heavy lunch. It is nutritious and cheap to get and very economical to prepare.

Any amount of half ripe mangoes
1-2 cups of finely grated coconuts

Peel all your mangoes. Wash carefully and leave them to dry in a bowl for a while. Grate all the pulp of the mangoes using a vegetable grater. Leave out the seeds. Mix in your finely grated coconut. Mix thoroughly using two spoons. Chill it a little before serving.

Green pawpaw (lechoza) salad
Five servings

1 small green pawpaw
1 small almost ripe pawpaw
1 tbsp coconut or salad oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt, pepper

Remove skins from pawpaws and grate them. (This should make about two cups) Soak grated pawpaw in salted water for about 20 minutes, then rinse and drain. Mix together: coconut or salad oil, lemon juice, a teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Pour mixture over grated pawpaw and let stand for at least 10 minutes, then serve.

Cassava balls

2 cups grated cassava
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 tsp freshly, chopped herbs*
1 egg
1/4 cup cooking oil

Mix together the grated cassava, onion and herbs. Lightly beat the egg. Add to the cassava mixture and mix well to form a smooth mixture. Form mixture into small balls.Lightly fry the cassava balls in cooking oil until golden brown.
- eg. Parsley, basil, sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs. Note: A finely chopped fresh chilli or clove of garlic can be used instead of the herbs.

Kokoda (Raw fish in coconut milk)
Considered a delicacy and mostly served as an appetizer, this is a healthy and easy to prepare dish and does not require cooking.

1kg fish fillet (white flesh preferred)
1or 2 coconuts
1 small onion
3-4 limes / lemons
chillies

Dice fish into small cubes (not too thick) and add to chopped onions into a deep bowl. Squeeze lemons / limes and cover the fish with juice. Add chillies if desired. Cover and let stand for six (6) hours minimum. If leaving overnight, cover and put into the refrigerator. This will retain freshness. After standing, drain off lemon juice. Grate coconuts and squeeze off milk (do not add water). Add coconut milk to fish and mix well. More chillies and lemon juice can be added if preferred. The kokoda can also be garnished with finely chopped carrots, tomatoes, capsicum or celery. Serve with taro or cassava.