Krystelle and Pio’s Revamped Vakasekera
TEAM FIJI
INGREDIENTS
1 whole fish-scaled and gutted (small snapper) approximately 20-30cm long, reef fish works best, please ensure that the fish is the right size and not undersized as per regular fisheries by laws.
2 cups of Kora (fermented Coconut available in the market) or toasted fresh grated Coconut
2 cups Moca (local spinach)
Virgin Coconut oil for cooking
1 cup Smoked Octopus tentacles-(this can be purchased from the local market-if this is not available you can slow cook your fresh octopus in banana leaves in the oven for 2 hours)
3 garlic cloves (chopped finely or grated)
2 whole chili’s (chopped finely)
1 brown Onion
2 cups Saijan (Moringa)
1 bunch Wide leaf Watercress
2 cups Coconut Cream
3 Yams ( peeled, chopped into halves then boiled until soft in with 4 lemon grass stalks, then mashed-should take about 30 mins)
6 half shells from scraped coconuts (placed in oven to toast inside)
For the Garnish:
½ cup Smoked Octopus Tentacles
Virgin Coconut Oil for cooking
1 cup small freshwater Prawns
1 tsp fresh Chilli (chopped)
1 Fresh lime for squeezing
1 cup each of lumi cevtata seaweed and kora
METHOD
- Cover a large baking dish with kora or toasted grated coconut, place the whole fish on top of this and into a preheated oven at approximately 180 degrees Celsius for 90 minutes. This may create some smoke.
- Once the fish is smoked, debone and shred with a fork and set aside.
- Cut the octopus tentacles into 1 inch cylinders, flash fry with garlic, chili’s, onions and coconut oil.
- Blanche the moca, saijan and watercress for 5 minutes, remove from the heat and soak in cold water for 2 minutes strain, squeeze and chop the greens finely.
Add the shredded fish, the flash fried octopus, and fresh coriander. Place this mixture in the toasted coconut shells. - Cut 6 lemon rounds to use as a stabilizer for the coconut shells on the plate, this also acts as a zesty addition to the vakasekera should your guests want to squeeze it in afterwards.
Place 6 plates with a lemon round under a filled coconut shell of vakasekera, then place the precooked, mashed lemon grass yam on the side. - Simmer the coconut milk for 5 minutes, you can add salt to this but we left it plain to keep it’s sweetness. Pour this warmed coconut milk on top of your vakasekera, top with Garnish of crispy coconut prawns and smoked octopus tentacles if desired.(see recipe below) Then garnish with toasted seaweed and kota before serving.
For the Garnish:
- Fry the tips of octopus tentacles crisp with salt and coconut oil.
- Fry the prawns until crisp the same way with chillis and lime.
- Toast some Kora and seaweed flat on a baking dish and roast for 20 minutes, they should form thin small sheets of seaweed and kora mixed. This is broken up into 6 pieces and set aside for the top of the garnish.
Tried this recipe at home? Let us know what you think!