country Essentials · 7 foods
Cook Islands Essentials
A considered first route through Cook Islands: the foods that carry its everyday habits, celebrations, ingredients, and memory.
Explore all Cook Islands foods →THE
ESSENTIALS
The complete shortlist
7 foods to know.
Each selection includes the reason it belongs here—so this is a guide, not just a pile of names.
Cook Islands
Ika Mata
Raw Fish
Raw white fish cured in lime and coconut cream, served as a named Cook Islands dish.
Cook Islands
Rukau
Taro Leaves
Young taro leaves simmered in coconut cream, served as a Cook Islands side with optional meat.
Cook Islands
Poke
Po'e
Baked banana, pumpkin, taro, or breadfruit pudding served with coconut cream in the Cook Islands.
Cook Islands
Umu
Umukai
Food wrapped in leaves and cooked over heated stones, forming a Cook Islands communal feast.
Cook Islands
Mitiore
Taioro
Fermented coconut mixed with shellfish and aromatics, a pungent Cook Islands preparation served with meals.
Cook Islands
Eke Takare
Octopus simmered in coconut curry sauce, a named Cook Islands seafood preparation.
Papeete, French Polynesia
Tahitian Donuts
Firi Firi
Ring-shaped fried dough served at Cook Islands gatherings, markets, and community fundraisers.