 Coconut, an important staple of Tokelau | |
| Country or region | Tokelau |
|---|---|
| National dishes | Ota |
| National drink | Kava,coconut water |
Tokelauan cuisine (Meakai tokelau) is the culinary traditions and practices of the island nation ofTokelau.
The original food crops of the Tokelauans werecoconut (niu),pandanus (fala),noni (nonu),dyer's fig (mati) andarrowroot (māhoā)[1] Of these, coconut and pandanus fruit were considered the major food crops while noni, dyer's fig and arrowroot were considered famine food, eaten only during times of scarcity. Coconut in particular was a very important component of the diet, making up the majority of the Tokelauans' energy intake.[2][3] The coconut drupe was prepared and consumed in various forms; the meat, milk and oil are all used extensively in many meal preparations. Sap from the cut flower spathe was also collected and is consumed as a beverage or boiled down into ared syrup (kaleve kukula) that was used as a sweetener for various dishes.
