ʻOtai (pronounced �oʊˈtaɪ is a refreshing Polynesian beverage, typically made with coconut meat, coconut milk, and coconut water. It is most often associated with

Tonga Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania. The country has 171 islands, of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in the southern Pacific Ocean. accordin ...

n cuisine, though similar versions are enjoyed in other Polynesian islands, including

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...

Niue Niue is a self-governing island country in free association with New Zealand. It is situated in the South Pacific Ocean and is part of Polynesia, and predominantly inhabited by Polynesians. One of the world's largest coral islands, Niue is c ...

Tokelau Tokelau (; ; known previously as the Union Islands, and, until 1976, known officially as the Tokelau Islands) is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. It consists of three tropical coral atolls: Atafu, Nukunonu, an ...

Tuvalu Tuvalu ( ) is an island country in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean, about midway between Hawaii and Australia. It lies east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands (which belong to the Solomon Islands), northeast of Van ...

Uvea The uvea (; derived from meaning "grape"), also called the uveal layer, uveal coat, uveal tract, vascular tunic or vascular layer, is the pigmented middle layer of the three concentric layers that make up an eye, precisely between the inne ...

, and Futuna.POLLEX-Online : The Polynesian Lexicon Project Online. Oceanic Linguistics
Entries for QOTAI (PN) Dish of raw fruits: (')o(o)tai - Pollex
History of ʻOtai The drink has its origins in Western

Polynesia Polynesia ( , ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of more than 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are called Polynesians. They have many things in ...

, where it was traditionally served as a refreshing accompaniment to large meals. European colonists documented the

Samoan Samoan may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Samoan Islands, an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean ** Something of, from, or related to Samoa, a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands ** Something of, from, ...

version of ʻOtai in the late 19th century. The original recipe involved mixing grated

ambarella ''Spondias dulcis'' ( syn. ''Spondias cytherea''), known commonly as Polynesian plum or Tahiti apple, is a tropical fruit tree native to Melanesia, with edible fruit containing a fibrous pit. The tree was spread to neighboring regions as ca ...

fruit (known as vi in

and Tongan and ''wi'' in Hawaiian) with young

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (biology), family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, ...

meat,

coconut milk Coconut milk is a plant milk extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of the milky-white liquid are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food ingred ...

, and

coconut water Coconut water (also coconut juice) is the clear liquid inside young coconuts (fruits of the coconut palm). In early development, it serves as a suspension for the endosperm of the coconut during the nuclear phase of development. As developm ...

.The Samoa Islands, Volume 1. Kramer, Augustin. Polynesian Press This mixture was poured into large coconut shells, corked with coconut

husk Husk (or hull) in botany is the outer shell or coating of a seed. In the United States, the term husk often refers to the leafy outer covering of an Ear (botany), ear of maize (corn) as it grows on the plant. Literally, a husk or hull includes t ...

, and chilled in cold water or waterfalls before serving. Modern Variations The modern

n version of ʻOtai is typically made with water, shredded

meat, and a variety of

tropical fruit There are many fruits that typically grow in warm tropical climates or equatorial areas. Tropical fruits Varieties of tropical fruit include: * Abiu * Açaí * Acerola (West Indian cherry; Barbados cherry) * Achachairú (Bolivian mangosteen; ...

s such as

watermelon The watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Cucurbitaceae, that has a large, edible fruit. It is a Glossary of botanical terms#scandent, scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, and is plant breeding ...

mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree '' Mangifera indica''. It originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South and Southeast As ...

and

pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a Tropical vegetation, tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been culti ...

, with watermelon being the most commonly used fruit in the Tongan Islands. Sugar is often added to taste. Tongan historians note that this modern recipe is a departure from the traditional Polynesian version, as many ingredients—such as milk, refined sugar, and introduced fruits like watermelon, mango, and pineapple—were not native to Tonga. The original Tongan recipe closely resembled the Samoan version, with the main difference being the choice of native fruit. While Samoa traditionally used

(''vi''), Tonga used the mountain apple (''fekika''). In Samoa, the distinction between native and introduced recipes remains important. In Samoa, ʻOtai refers specifically to the version made with vi fruit, while versions made with introduced fruits are referred to by their respective names: vai meleni (watermelon drink), vai mago (mango drink), and vai fala (pineapple drink). Additionally, in some parts of the Pacific Islands, ʻOtai is considered a "health drink," especially in Samoa. The coconut water and natural enzymes from the fruits used in the drink are believed to aid digestion, making it not only a refreshing beverage but also a beneficial one for digestive health. This belief contributes to its enduring popularity in the region as both a cultural and health-conscious drink.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Otai Tongan cuisine Samoan cuisine Wallis and Futuna cuisine Niuean cuisine Tuvaluan cuisine Tokelauan cuisine Fruit juice Oceanian cuisine Polynesian drinks Coconut drinks

See also

References