The water is so clear in the South Pacific that you can see fish swimming in the water. Yellow fish. Striped fish. Long, pointy fish. There are plenty of fish in French Polynesia, and I don’t mean the dating website either. HA! It shouldn’t surprise you that their main source of protein in the South Pacific is fish. While on my honeymoon in Bora Bora, I was introduced to one of my new favorite dishes: Poisson Cru.
It was weird being so far away from my Latin roots and seeing similarities. Poisson Cru is the South Pacific version of “ceviche” minus the spice. “Poisson” meaning fish. “Cru” meaning raw. If you’re not into raw fish, have no fear. It is marinated in a substantial amount of lemon to “cook” the fish.
We all go coco for coconuts! I even saw a coconut floating in the middle of the water. Crazy, right? The Intercontinental Resort Bora Bora Thalasso had a cool coconut show where the pool guy taught us how to open a coconut, shred a coconut, make coconut milk, even climb a palm tree to fetch a coconut. The secret to making poisson cru – using fresh coconut milk.
Fresh ingredients make a big difference. This is red ahi tuna, freshly caught that day, of course. There’s nothing like eating fresh fish. PERIOD. It is then diced into tiny pieces. Tons of lemon for “cooking” the fish and coconut milk squeezed by our new friend, the pool guy. You can also use lime, if that’s your thing.
The taste of Poisson Cru is amazing, delicate, light, not sweet but full of flavor. If you let this sit for an hour, the flavors will develop. Yum. Yum. And more yum! … Best vacation EVER!!!
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Poisson Cru
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh ahi tuna cut into about ½-inch diced
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup fresh coconut milk
- ¼ cup cucumber diced
- 2 to matoes diced
- ½ onion sliced
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the tuna, lemon juice and salt.
- Let this marinate for 5 minutes.
- Drain the lemon juice and add the coconut milk, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion to the bowl.
- Mix together and add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve in a bowl. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Had this dish demonstrated for us in Moorea, French Polynesia. It had similar ingredients to yours however, MUCH more salt was added, like 1 to 2 cup fulls ….. but it was made for some 25 people!
It then was covered with bottled water and left to “cook” for like 5 minutes. The water then poured off and the poisson cru then served – it tasted great!
Two words, beautiful and scrumptious!
Darlynne
Yes and yes! 🙂
This looks awesome, ceviche is one of my favorite dishes in restaraunts, I’m always too afraid to make it at home, I just might try this.
Hope you try it! You will love this recipe.
Love new food receipies from new exciting locations! (Oh that water…dreamy)!
The water was divine, Jenny!
yummm, looks similar to a ceviche!
It totally was ceviche, Rachael, minus the spice. 🙂