Muristek
Cooking ‘ota ika: a Tongan soul food that’s a riot of flavour and a connection to home
Similar to ceviche, ‘ota ika is a staple of celebratory buffet spreads. For Sela Atiola, making the dish keeps her bonded to her culture
It’s a balmy mid-morning in Seven Hills, unusual weather for Sydney in July, where the subtle bites of frigid air are usually expected. Desperate for freedom, my two-year-old is engaged in a frantic one-way battle with the red straps of the Woolies trolley hugged around her waist, securing her safely to the built-in child seat. Her eyes are fixed on an empty play centre a few metres away, while mine examine the display of seafood that lies bare on a bed of ice in the Brothers Fish Market at Seven Hills Plaza.
“Prawns are fresh, sister! You try some?” asks the gentleman behind the counter. His eyes are the colour of Elkhorn coral and his charcoal hair is tipped with silver. The pronounced wrinkles across his forehead inform me that he can name every species existing in the bountiful waters off Australia’s coast. I wish I could ask him: “Do you know which fish I need to make ‘ota ika?” Instead, I respond: “Oh, I’m just looking.”
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