Soy & Ginger Marinated Fish Burger with Coconut Rice and Pineapple Salsa
And now we’re headed back to the islands. Specifically the Federated States of Micronesia. Not to be confused with Micronesia, the region that includes 2100 islands, the Federated States of Micronesia is comprised of 4 states and 607 islands. To make my life easier, just assume I mean Federated States of Micronesia whenever I say Micronesia going forward.
Micronesia is located in Oceana north of Australia and east of the Philippines. The four states of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei & Yap are home to just over one hundred thousand citizens. The total land mass across the 607 islands is approximately equal to four times the size of Washington DC.
Being a country of islands means that Micronesia enjoys over six thousand kilometers of coastline. And the coasts is where the majority of the population lives. Humans first settled the islands in the second millennium BC. Each of the states developed with its own unique cultural traditions and history.
Spanish and Portuguese explorers “discovered” the islands in the 1500s and the Spanish claimed the islands and exerted nominal control in the 1600s. Christian missionaries arrived in the 1800s, in particular to Chuuk & Kosrae. Christianity still plays an important role in Kosraean culture. In 1899 Spain sold the islands to Germany. In 1914, Japan seized the islands and built naval bases. After World War II, Micronesia came under US administration. In 1982, full independence was achieved with the signing of the Compact of Free Association. As part of that agreement, qualified citizens of Micronesia can work or study in the US without a visa and Micronesians can serve in the US Armed Forces.
There are too many stories about the states to tell in the small a space, and we have to get to the food, but here are a few tidbits before we move on. The Yap have a deep cultural connection to dance and the children learn dances that tell the history of their people. Chuck men carve matching “love sticks” as part of the ritual of choosing a mate. Pohnpei is home to the Nan Madol Ruins, a man-made city with ocean filled channels which once housed a thriving civilization. Kosrae is home to some of the healthiest coral reefs in the world.
Ok, now on to the food. Yes, they eat pork and chicken in Micronesia, but let’s be serious, fish is, and always has been, central to Micronesian cuisine. Fish is often consumed raw or ceviche, because of course, citrus is plentiful on the islands. Coconut is found in almost everything from sweet to savory. Yams, taro, breadfruit, pineapple – Micronesia is a cornucopia of wonderful produce.
So for our burger, I decided to start with a nice white fish. Because I live in New England and halibut is in season, and I love halibut, that’s what I used. Any flaky white fish would work for this dish. There is a dish called Chicken Micronesia that has a soy, ginger and pineapple marinade, so I took that idea and marinaded the fish with those flavors. The fish was so delicious on it’s own (before I made it into a fish cake), that I’ll definitely be making it again – just the right blend of salty, sweet, and spicy complimented the sweetness of the halibut perfectly. Because the marinade was so good, I used it to make a sauce to enhance the flavor of the cake.
I was intrigued by taro and wanted to try it for the starch, but I wasn’t sure it would be right for this dish, and I wasn’t sure what it would taste like. So I tried making a taro cake, but also wanted a back up plan. Since rice is a mainstay of Micronesia, it felt like a good idea to have a rice backup. Cooking rice with coconut milk instead of water results in a stickier rice with just a touch of sweet coconut flavor. It does take a little longer to cook and you have to watch it more closely, you may even need to add a little water as the liquid can be absorbed without the rice fully cooking, but it’s worth the effort, especially if your dish has strong salt or acid notes (like this burger). We tried both starches, and although we loved the fried taro root cake, it overpowered the fish and felt heavier than we wanted with the other ingredients, so for the final burger we have the coconut rice as our starch.
Lastly, pineapple salsa – obvious choice, and luckily the pineapple is great right now. Acidic with a touch of sweetness, what’s not to like? Overall the burger was light and fresh tasting, a true island experience. We cleaned our plates and my husband devoured the photo version that I made the next day, even my 13 year old daughter loved hers!
This is burger paired well with a light Pinot Grigio (a margarita would probably compliment it well if you prefer something more adventurous.
If you like this burger, you might enjoy my Fijian Burger. It has some of the same flavors with a curry overlay that works well with the tropical notes.
©Copyright 2023 Linda Monach
Micronesian Burger
Ingredients
Pineapple Salsa
- 1/2 cup White onion – chopped fine
- 2 cups Fresh pineapple – chopped fine
- 1 Tbsp Jalapeno – chopped fine
- 1 Tbsp Cilantro – chopped
Soy & Ginger Marinated Fish
- 1 Tbsp Grated fresh ginger
- 1/3 cup Soy sauce
- 1/3 cup Pineapple juice
- 1/2 teas Sambal Oelek (chili paste)
- 1 lb White fish – skin removed
- 2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
Coconut Rice
- 3/4 cup Long grained white rice
- 14 ounces Coconut milk
Micronesian Burger
- Cooked Fish
- 1/4 cup Flour
- 1/2 cup Panko
- 1 Large egg (beaten)
- Coconut oil
- Coconut rice
- Watercress (optional)
- Pineapple salsa
- Marinade sauce
Instructions
Pineapple Salsa
- Try to chop the pineapple, onions, and jalapeños evenly (about 1/4"). Mix all ingredients and set aside.
Soy & Ginger Marinade
- Combine first four ingredients to make marinade.
- Cut fish into cubes and place in a zip lock bag with marinade. Let fish marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Place fish and marinade in an oven proof dish. Cook fish until cooked through (about 10 minutes).
- Pour marinade into a saucepan and heat just to boiling, then remove and cool. Once marinade is cool, add mayonnaise and whisk to create sauce.
Coconut Rice
- Place rice and coconut milk in a covered pot and heat to just boiling. Turn heat down immediately and simmer covered until rice is cooked through (about 20 minutes). Check rice at 10-15 minutes and add hot water if needed.
Micronesian Burger
- Use a fork to break up the cooked fish in a mixing bowl. Add the flour and panko and mix well. Add the egg to the fish mixture and mix until combined. Form four patties from the mixture.
- Spoon enough coconut oil in a non-stick pan to coat the bottom. Heat over medium high heat. Cook the fish patties until golden.
- To plate – spoon coconut rice on each plate. Add watercress, then the cooked fish patties. Spoon a bit of the marinade sauce on top of the fish cake.
- Top with pineapple salsa and serve!
