Rapa Nui Ceviche

Whether an island such as Easter Island can be considered remote is simply a matter of perspective. Those who live there, the Rapa Nui, call their homeland Te Pito Te Henua, 'the navel of the world.' Any point on the infinite globe of the Earth can become a centre.

 - Judith Schalansky, Atlas of Remote Islands

The island of Te Pito Te Henua or, as it is more commonly known, Easter Island, lies in the middle of the southern Pacific Ocean. It is a special territory of Chile, yet it lies more than 1,400 miles from the nearest Chilean island and more than 2,400 miles from the capital of Chile, Santiago.

Yet, the island remains the center of the Rapa Nui, the indigenous people descended from the Polynesians who first arrived by two canoe expedition from Marae Renga (also known as the Cook Islands) between 800 C.E. and 1200 C.E. The Polynesian explorers believed the island was a good place to settle and live peacefully away from the conflicts from where they came.

The Rapa Nui eventually encountered the European explorers during the 18th century; but, the 19th century brought devastating events for the indigenous people, including slave raids from Peru in the 1860s (resulting in nearly half of the population being captured and taken away) and colonization by Chile in 1887. The indigenous people found themselves largely confined to the city of Hanga Roa, while the rest of the island was rented to the Williamson-Balfour Company, who used the land for a sheep farm. This ended by 1966 and the island was reopened again to its residents. 

Despite all of this adversity, on a remote island in the middle of the ocean, the Rapa Nui have retained their own culture, including their language, their art (for example, the Moai resting on large platforms known as ahu), and their cuisine.  Chilean control of the island has left its mark as well, with Spanish being the predominant language and with Latin influences making their way into the cuisine of the people. 

This recipe provides an example of that influence. Tuna - or kahi as it is referred to in Rapa Nui - is a traditional food of the Rapa Nui. Tuna ahi is a Rapa Nui dish that involves placing the tuna on hot volcanic rocks, allowing the fish to cook as the rocks begin to cool. This dish and its preparation represent traditional Rapa Nui preparation of the fish.

By contrast, a tuna ceviche is perhaps the most typical dish of Rapa Nui cuisine. It is also illustrative of how the Latin influences have made their way into that cuisine. The tuna is cut into small pieces or slices, and then prepared with lime juice, sugar, and ginger. The addition of coconut milk provides more of a Polynesian influence to the dish. The tuna is then mixed with the liquid, along with diced chiles, sliced onions and julienned carrots. The end result takes a traditional food of the Rapa Nui people and presents it in a manner that one could find along the Pacific coastline of South America.

RAPA NUI CEVICHE

Recipe from New World Review

Serves 4-8 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 14 ounces unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 1/2 pounds sashimi grade tuna, cut 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2 purple (red) onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons died red pepper (use aji rocoto for a little kick)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves
• 3 tablespoons julienned carrots

Directions:

1. Prepare the ceviche liquid. Place the ginger, sugar, lime juice and coconut milk in a blender and puree until smooth. 

2. Combine the liquid with the tuna. Toss the mixture with the tuna and the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately. 

3. Finish the dish. Garnish with thick cut potato chips, coconut sticky rice, cucumber slices and/or a small bowl of coconut milk. Serve immediately.

ENJOY!