Ingredients
Base
- 1.5 kgripe watermelon flesh, deseeded
- 400 mlcoconut cream
- 250 mlcold water or coconut water
- 60–100 gcaster sugar, to taste
- Pinch of salt
Optional additions
- 2ripe mangoes, grated
- 200 gfresh pineapple, grated
- 100 gfresh coconut, finely grated
- Ice cubes, to serve
Directions
- Cut the watermelon into large blocks and pick out the seeds. Grate the flesh on the coarse side of a box grater over a bowl so you catch every drop of juice – never blend it, or you lose the shredded texture that defines ʻotai.
- Squeeze the grated flesh lightly with your hands to break it into soft threads suspended in its own juice.
- Grate the mango and pineapple the same way if using, and stir them through.
- Whisk the coconut cream with the cold water until smooth and pourable, then stir in the sugar and salt until fully dissolved.
- Pour the coconut mixture over the grated fruit and stir gently. It should be drinkable but thick enough that a spoon stands up in the shreds.
- Taste and adjust: it wants to be sweet but not cloying, with the coconut clearly present behind the melon.
- Cover and chill at least 1 hour – ʻotai must be properly cold, and the flavours only marry after resting.
- Stir again just before serving, ladle into cups or a large bowl with ice, and serve alongside the roasted root vegetables and taro of a feast table, or on its own on a hot afternoon.
Technique
- ʻOtai is drunk and spooned at the same time. If it is smooth it has been made wrong – the shreds of fruit are the whole point.
- Tongan families use a purpose-made grater or the back of a serrated knife to shred the melon; a coarse box grater is the nearest kitchen tool.
- It does not keep. Melon weeps and the coconut separates within a few hours, so make it the same day and stir before serving.
Substitutions
- Out of watermelon season, grated ripe mango or pineapple alone makes a perfectly traditional ʻotai.
- Tinned coconut cream is fine; loosen it with a little of the melon juice rather than plain water for more flavour.
Variations
- Mango ʻotai, the version most often made in Tongan communities abroad.
- A richer feast version using undiluted coconut cream and crushed ice instead of water.
History
Grated watermelon, mango or coconut is mixed with water and coconut cream and served ice-cold to cut through the richness of an umu feast.
Frequently asked questions
What is ʻOtai?
ʻOtai is a drink from Tonga: refreshing drink of shredded watermelon and coconut, feast accompaniment. Grated watermelon, mango or coconut is mixed with water and coconut cream and served ice-cold to cut through the richness of an umu feast.
How long does ʻOtai take to make?
ʻOtai takes 20 min of preparation and 1 hr of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in ʻOtai?
Yes, within limits. Out of watermelon season, grated ripe mango or pineapple alone makes a perfectly traditional ʻotai. Tinned coconut cream is fine; loosen it with a little of the melon juice rather than plain water for more flavour.
What is the most important thing to get right in ʻOtai?
Cut the watermelon into large blocks and pick out the seeds. Grate the flesh on the coarse side of a box grater over a bowl so you catch every drop of juice – never blend it, or you lose the shredded texture that defines ʻotai.
