| Samoa in the South Pacific, is not known for | | | | * Add salt and pepper and some chili sauce if you |
| gourmet food or cooking but there are certainly a | | | | like it hot. |
| few things that could be compared to other well | | | | Mix it all together and serve in small cups or |
| known dishes like Japanese sashimi. | | | | bowls. |
| Because of the location, Samoa has access to | | | | Leave it in the fridge for some time if you prefer |
| fresh tuna fish that is brought in to the fish | | | | it cold. |
| market every morning. The fresh tuna is not only | | | | Palusami |
| excellent for making tuna steaks, you can also | | | | Another important food item in Samoa is the |
| use it for something called OKA. | | | | palusami. |
| The Polynesian people have naturally been using | | | | You start preparing palusami by collecting the |
| the local products when creating the recipe and | | | | young leaves from the taro plant (taro is a |
| still these ingredients will be found in any country | | | | starchy edible root, bigger than a potato). |
| in the world. | | | | Make a mixture of coconut cream, onion and salt |
| Another main ingredient in the OKA recipe is the | | | | which will be used together with the taro leaves. |
| coconut cream which is proven to be very | | | | Put many taro leaves together and form a small |
| healthy. | | | | bag. The coconut cream mixture will be poured |
| Traditional Samoan healers tells us, that the | | | | into the little bag and closed. |
| Samoan people were all healthy before the white | | | | A bread fruit leaf is usually used for wrapping the |
| man brought the processed food to the island. | | | | small taro leaf bag together, preventing it from |
| Today Samoa has one of the highest diabetes | | | | falling apart. |
| rates in the world. | | | | The palusami will now be put on hot stones and |
| Preparing the OKA. | | | | baked in what the Samoans call UMU. After about |
| OKA is both healthy and delicious. In Samoa, the | | | | 45 minutes on hot glowing stones and covered by |
| OKA is an important part of the Sunday family | | | | large banana leaves. The palusami is ready to eat. |
| feast. It is made in the following way: | | | | The leaves have now dissolved and mixed with |
| * Cut the raw tuna in small thumb nail size pieces | | | | the coconut cream providing a delicious part of |
| and put in a bowl. | | | | the Sunday meal. |
| * Cut cucumber, tomatoes and onion very fine | | | | Most visitors to Samoa love this traditional food |
| and add it to the bowl. | | | | experience where both OKA and palusami plays a |
| * Add fresh coconut cream (or from can) sauce | | | | big roll. |
| together with some lemon juice. | | | | |