Cook Islander Cuisine

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Cook Islands - Cooking and Food

Overview of Cook Islander Cuisine History
Cook Islands are situated in the Central Pacific and they are made up of 15 small islands, not far from New Zeeland. The vegetation on the islands is very rich and abundant in coconut palm trees. Besides agriculture, animal breeding, like pigs and cattle is very frequent, which is rather unusual, but benefic for an oceanic island. The most significant aliments when discussing the Cook Islands` recipes are the fish and the vegetables. The staple aliment in the Cook Islands` cuisine is the fish. Fish is consumed in various ways, like roasted, grilled, raw and in soups or stews and there is a wide spectrum of edible and enjoyable fish species: tuna (ahi), dolphin (mahi mahi), parrot fish (pakati), barracuda (ono), coconut crabs and crayfish. Besides these, there are the exotic fruits like papaya, mango, coconuts, bananas, citrus fruits, avocado and melon, which are used for the local breakfast and desserts, such as the grated coconut flesh for various cakes and tarts.

Cuisines of Cook Islands


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createpageform-cookislander The Cook Islands are formed of 2 groups of islands: a Northern and a Southern group, which seem to have the same cuisine, with small differences. Rarotonga is one of the most representative islands (it is actually a volcanic island), with an exotic relief and a distinctive cuisine. In this region, the basic meals include the kai food, which is based on chicken, fish and pork, served with veggies, which are placed in an umu (dish) and then covered, so the food gets tender and soft. Due to the fact that this island is a touristy area, there is a wide range of international restaurants, like Chinese, Indian and Italian, but the New Zeeland influence is also very much felt. In the areas which are not that populated, people prefer to eat vegetable meals, like taro roots or maniota. The umukai is a very representative traditional custom that means dancing and cooking in an earth oven – this habit is spread in all the Cook Islands`.

Cook Islander Food Glossary
Finding the ingredients for an Cook Islander Recipe is not so easy when you do not know the names of the ingredients. Take time to make a list of ingredients and the name they may be found under at the Local Markets.


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Preparation Methods for Cook Islander Cooking
Each traditional dish has a special cooking method, which is more or less general in all of Cook Islands’ regions. Cook Islands` cuisine uses elements from various cooking traditions borrowed from their neighbors and developed from their own traditional dishes. While there are no specific or unique preparation methods for Cook Islands` cooking, we should point out that attention to detail is important in the Cook Islands` cuisine. Using the right amount of spices for example is essential – either for spicing up the taste or for coloring the dish. The diversity of vegetables and cereals found in Cook Islands is also noticed in the delicious dishes belonging to their cuisine. The visual attractiveness of the dish is also important, and a balance between colors and proportion differentiates. Meat is one of the main elements of most Cook Islands` dishes and cured and smoked hams are often parts of delicious dishes.

Special Equipment for Cook Islander Cooking
Most Cook Islander dishes don’t require you to purchase any special tools. However, having a coffee grinder helps with roasting and grinding spices and maximizes their volatile oils, which, in turn, provides your food with more flavor.

However, here are a few kitchen utensils you might want to use:

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