In celebration of Fijian Language Week last month, Radio New Zealand‘s The Panel presenter Wallace Chapman served up a classic raw fish dish to share with colleagues.
Chapman’s Fijian kokoda is based on a recipe passed down from his grandmother, who hails from Levuka, a village in one of Fiji’s outer islands.
Wallace Chapman shares Fijian kokoda for Fiji Language Week. Photo: RNZ / Mabel Muller
The broadcaster said he learned how to make a range of Fijian delicacies, like roti, taro etc. when he was younger.
“Food is central to the culture – especially raw fish. All the islands have their variation of it. Raw fish is as Fijian as it gets,” said Chapman.
The ingredients to Chapman’s kokoda are no secret and he described it as a “classic” recipe.
“It’s very simple – You’ve got coconut cream, tarakihi and garlic. I put quite a bit of chilli in it. There’s carrots in it, lots of onion. I marinated it for 24 hours and that’s it. Just a classic kokoda.”
Fijian Language Week ran from 2 October til 8 October and celebrated the mother tongue of more than 19,000 Fijians living in New Zealand.
Island Time 