Umai

Umai is raw fish cured in lime juice and mixed with coconut and onion, a dish from Kiribati.

Umai is the name of the dish in Kiribati, a Pacific island nation. The method is similar to ceviche from Latin America, where fish is also cured in citrus juice instead of cooked, but the seasonings are different.

What it really is

Fresh fish is cut into small pieces and left in lime juice until the flesh turns firm and opaque, so the acid does the work that heat does in a cooked dish. Onion and chilli add sharpness and heat, and coconut brings richness and a gentle sweetness. The fish is the centre of the dish; the other ingredients season it and balance it.

Lime curing does not kill parasites the way cooking does, so the fish must be fresh and of a quality meant for eating raw. Acid firms the flesh, but it does not make raw fish safe on its own.

How it's served

• Cold, mixed in a bowl just before it is served.
• Eaten fresh, so the onion keeps its bite and the fish stays firm.
• Heat set by the amount of chilli, so guests who want it milder can be told in advance.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the fish and say it is raw. Guests need to know that "raw" here means lime-cured, not cooked.
• Flag FISH as the allergen. Name the coconut as well, so guests with a coconut sensitivity can decide.
• Name the standard ingredients: fish, coconut, lime, onion and chilli. Mark any addition such as rice, cream or extra chilli as separate.
• State the chilli heat, since guests often ask how hot the dish is.