Ika Mata

Ika mata is raw fish cured in lime juice and served chilled in coconut cream with onion and chilli. It is a dish of Tuvalu, a Pacific island nation, and it is also made in Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. The name is the local one, ika mata.

Fish and coconut are staples across much of the Pacific, and this dish brings them together with lime and chilli in a cold, uncooked preparation.

What it really is

The fish is cut into small pieces and cured in lime juice. The acid firms and whitens the flesh without heat, so the lime does the work that a cook would otherwise do with a flame. The cured fish is then combined with coconut cream, onion and chilli and served chilled. The coconut cream gives the dish its richness and softens the sharpness of the lime. Proportions vary from cook to cook, so the balance of lime, chilli and coconut is the main difference between one version and another.

How it's served

• Cold, with the coconut cream spread over or mixed through the fish.
• Raw, so the quality and freshness of the fish matter more than in any cooked dish.
• In a starter-sized portion, or in a larger share as part of a meal.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the fish by its common English name, and say that it is served raw and cured in lime.
• Flag fish as the allergen, and state that the dish contains coconut cream, since some guests avoid coconut.
• List onion and chilli as standard, and indicate the heat level so guests can choose.
• Say whether the fish is fresh or was previously frozen, and warn guests that the dish is not cooked.