Split reef fish salted and dried hard on racks in the sun, then boiled or grilled. Drying and salting was the only way to hold a big catch on atolls with no shade and no fresh water, and dried fish travelled between islands as trade.
It depends on relentless equatorial sun and constant trade wind pulling water out faster than spoilage can take hold; reef fish additionally carry a ciguatera risk that no amount of drying removes.
What goes into it
- reef fish, split and flattened
- sea salt
- sun and trade wind
How it is made
The fish is split down the back, gutted and flattened, rubbed with salt and laid on raised racks in full sun. The trade wind and the sun dry it hard over several days, and it is turned and brought in at night against dew. It ends stiff and salty and keeps for months.
How long it takes: three to seven days on the racks
How it is eaten
Soaked, then boiled or grilled and eaten with rice, breadfruit or coconut.
History
Drying and salting was the only way to hold a big catch on atolls without shade or fresh water, and dried fish travelled between islands as trade.
Frequently asked questions
What is Dried Reef Fish?
Dried Reef Fish is a charcuterie & cured from Kiribati: split reef fish salted and dried hard on racks in the sun, then boiled or grilled. Drying and salting was the only way to hold a big catch on atolls without shade or fresh water, and dried fish travelled between islands as trade.
How is Dried Reef Fish made?
The fish is split down the back, gutted and flattened, rubbed with salt and laid on raised racks in full sun. The trade wind and the sun dry it hard over several days, and it is turned and brought in at night against dew. It ends stiff and salty and keeps for months. It takes three to seven days on the racks.
Can I make Dried Reef Fish at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. It depends on relentless equatorial sun and constant trade wind pulling water out faster than spoilage can take hold; reef fish additionally carry a ciguatera risk that no amount of drying removes.
What goes into Dried Reef Fish?
Reef fish, split and flattened, sea salt, sun and trade wind.
How is Dried Reef Fish eaten?
Soaked, then boiled or grilled and eaten with rice, breadfruit or coconut.
