World on a Plate: Samoa (+recipe)

Michael Meredith. Photo / Supplied

Top chef Michael Meredith, who is today demonstrating Samoan cuisine at the Auckland Museum's Kai to Pie exhibition, is best known to Aucklanders for his award-winning namesake restaurant, Meredith's.

As part of the Museum's World on A Plate series, Michael is preparing oka, a citrus-marinated salad.

Michael's oka recipe, with citrus and coriander

Salad:
1 green coconut
2 pink grapefruit
2 limes
3 shallots finely sliced
2 radishes sliced
Celery stalks, finely sliced
Cucumber, finely sliced
Chopped chives
Salt
Baby coriander

Dressing:
200ml coconut juice
100ml grapefruit juice
Lime juice
Coconut vinegar
200ml coconut oil or olive oil
Sugar
Salt to taste

1. Crack the coconut open, reserve some juice for the dressing, and scoop out the flesh.

2. Make the dressing by mixing the juices with the vinegar, whisk in the oil then season with sugar and salt.

3. Place the coconut flesh with the citrus in a bowl. Add shallots, radishes, celery, cucumber and dressing. Stand for 5 mins. Add chives, adjust seasoning, garnish with coriander and serve.

* For more on Auckland Museum's World on a Plate series, click here.