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Kohu-kohu
Kohu-kohu — Maluku smoked tuna salad with toasted coconut and long beans
Ambon's fish markets sell ikan asar, tuna smoked over coconut husks, and one of the best things to do with it is kohu-kohu. Flakes of the smoky fish are tossed with crisp shredded long beans, bean sprouts, lightly toasted coconut, raw shallot, chilli and plenty of lime, making a salad that is crunchy, smoky, sour and hot all at once. It's a staple at Maluku family meals, often served next to papeda and fish soup or simply with rice. Chef's tip: mix it no more than an hour before eating; fresh coconut goes limp and sour if it sits around, and the salad loses its crunch.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the salad
For the dressing
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Blanch 3 ½ oz bean sprouts in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain and cool under cold water. Pat dry. Leave 7 oz long beans raw for crunch, or blanch them for 1 minute if you prefer them softer.
2 minStep 2: Toast 3 ½ oz grated coconut in a dry pan over a medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until it smells nutty and only just starts to colour. Tip onto a plate to cool.
4 minStep 3: Pound 2 red chillies, 4 bird's eye chillies, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp sugar to a rough paste in a mortar, then stir in 2 tbsp lime juice.
Step 4: In a large bowl, toss 7 oz hot-smoked tuna, the beans, bean sprouts, coconut, 4 shallots and 3 makrut lime leaves with the dressing using your fingertips so the fish stays in flakes. Keep the smoked fish chilled until now and eat the salad within the hour.
Step 5: Taste and add more lime or salt, scatter with 1 handful lemon basil or Thai basil and serve at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 220 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kohu-kohu take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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