Feast-Day Refresher · Watermelon Coconut Cooler
'Otai
Photo: Paulscf at English Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
It's traditionally so chunky it's eaten with a spoon as much as sipped — grated watermelon and coconut suspended in their own sweet, milky juice.
'Otai is a cold Tongan fruit drink made by grating watermelon, and often pineapple or mango, into coconut milk or cream, served icy in large bowls or cups. It's a staple at Tongan feasts, family gatherings, and Sunday meals, prepared fresh in big batches to share.
Why it's made this way: As a near-mandatory companion to Tongan feast spreads, 'otai reflects the islands' abundance of coconut and tropical fruit in one refreshing bowl.
More from Tonga
Part of World of Street Food — 690 dishes from 118 countries.
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