Tahitian Tacos
Tahitian tacos are inspired by the The Islands of Tahiti’s national dish poisson cru, a dish made with fresh tuna, marinated in lime and coconut milk. Tahitian chef, Heimata Hall of Moorea Food Adventures, created this recipe after being inspired by his travels, combining the flavors of the South Pacific, with a classic Mexican dish. He makes his tacos on Tahiti and Moorea with locally sourced seafood and tropical fruits such as mangoes and coconuts.
Every bite will feel like a vacation to this magical island paradise!
Sample: Tahitian Tacos
© Tahiti Food Tours
Poisson cru is made from the essential ingredients of traditional Tahitian food, raw fish, coconut milk, lime, and sea salt. Over the years the recipe has evolved to include elements from French cuisine as well, including carrots, onions, and tomatoes. As Chef Hall says “every dish has a story” let us share this culinary story with you!
Total Pre Time: 30 Minutes / Makes 6-8 Servings
Equipment Needed:
- Large bowl for mixing ingredients
- Large spoon
- Chef knife
- Cutting board
- 8 inch frying pan or cast iron pan
- Cooking tongs for turning tortilla
Ingredients:
- 1.5 lbs fresh ahi or local fish in your area (halibut, yellowtail, snapper, or sea bass). Ask your fish market specialist what fish is best to eat raw in your area.
- 1 can coconut milk or cream (fresh if available)
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- 2 red radishes sliced into round pieces (use a mandolin if you have one)
- 2 limes
- 1 Hass avocado
- ½ Solo papaya or mango (optional). If you don’t have them it is ok to substitute or omit
- Bush of cilantro
- ¼ cup 100% olive, coconut, or sunflower oil (do not use extra virgin olive oil)
- Sea salt to taste
- 6-8 tortillas (homemade or store bought)
- Garnish, Optional: Pickled red cabbage
Sauce Ingredients:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tsp Perrin sauce
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco or Tapatio hot sauce
- 1 lime
- Salt and pepper to taste
Steps:
- Make your sauce. Add all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix until creamy. You can always adjust the heat of the sauce by adding more hot sauce to taste.
- Set marinade aside
- Slice fish into 1 inches pieces or cubes
- Cut avocado and mangoes into cubes
- Slice onion into thin “julienne” style slices
- Add coconut milk until you have reached your desired consistency (not too “wet” or saturated)
- Combine these ingredients into a mixing bowl and add oil and lime juice. Season with salt and mix well. Put into refrigerator to marinate
- Meanwhile, place tortillas into a hot frying or cast iron pan. Heat until they are cooked to your liking. You can also add oil and fry tortillas until crunchy like a tostada.
- After tortillas are warmed, remove mixture from fish and add a tablespoon of the fish mixture to one tortilla. Garnish with cilantro, pickled cabbage (optional) and add sauce mixture to each taco.
Enjoy Like a Tahitian!
Tama’a maita’i is how you say “Eat well!” in Tahitian. Enjoy these delicious Tahitian tacos and dream of your next visit to The Islands of Tahiti.
Recipes courtesy of Heimata Hall, Tahiti Food Tours
© Tahiti Food Tours
