Taro, green banana and breadfruit are some ‘official’ staples in the Pacific, but we love our rice, too!
Samoans have several rice-based favourites, including koko alaisa and alaisa fa’apopo, but sua alaisa is probably the simplest to make.
Alaisa (or araisa) is the Samoan word for rice, and sua is what we call a soup or any very liquid-y dish. Sua alaisa is a sweet, creamy, comforting rice treat that we often have for dessert or a hearty breakfast… or sometimes even dinner if it’s one of those days.
Here’s how easy it is to make.
How We Do
Rinse a cup of short-grain white rice until the water runs clean, then to up with a litre or two of fresh water (depends on how thick you like your sua alaisa) and bring it to the boil.
Just before it starts to boil, add some fragrance. Samoans use lemon or lime leaves, but in our house, apparently, we also throw in kigamogi (bay leaves).
This was a tip my mother and cousin suggested, and it’s a keeper for me. I love the bit of herbal flavour the bay leaves add, especially how it plays off the sweetness of the dish.
Once the pot has boiled, turn the heat down and add in your coconut cream. Now, the kind of coconut cream you use makes a huge difference to the consistency of the sua alaisa.
Freshly grated and strained coconut flesh is obviously always the best choice, but if you have to use canned coconut cream, choose a brand like Kara, Fiafia, Solo’s Choice or Ayam.
From here, let the rice soup simmer for a while – mine took around 45 minutes. You’re just waiting for the rice grains to thicken up and get soft and for all the liquid to get creamy… and then you sweeten the pot to taste (my ‘taste’ needed about a cup and a half of raw sugar) and that’s it!
Time to enjoy your sua alaisa!
Sua Alaisa
Sua alaisa means rice soup in Samoan, and this dish is a sweet, creamy treat that we usually have for breakfast or dessert.
Rinse and drain the rice until the water runs clear.
Add to a pot with the fresh water, then heat to boil, stirring often so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
Just before the pot boils, add the lemon and bay leaves.
After it boils, turn the heat down and stir in the coconut cream. Let the rice soup simmer (still stirring often) until the rice grains have thickened up and softened.
Sweeten the sua alaisa to taste (I used around a cup and a half of raw sugar) and serve.
Lots of Asian countries do a coconut and rice dish, but they don’t do it like Samoans do. (As far as I know.)
Alaisa fa’apopo literally means rice that’s been coconut’ed, which of course means that we’ve done something very coconut-y to the rice.
(I’m cracking myself up right now).
It’s all true, though.
The only other thing you need to know about alaisa fa’apopo is that it’s yummmmm and goes perfectly with hot Koko Samoa. Here’s how you eat it.
Warm, sticky coconut rice in a bowl. Steaming hot Koko Samoa in a mug. Scoop up the rice with a spoon, dunk it in the koko, pop it in your mouth. Chase it with a (careful) swig of sweet koko. Oh my life.
I rejoice in alaisa fa’apopo every rare occasion someone (usually my mom) makes it. It happens so infrequently I thought it would be a difficult recipe, but it’s not. It’s so easy, and super cheap, I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to figure this out.
So under mom’s watchful supervision, I made my first batch of alaisa fa’apopo yesterday, and it turned out not too bad.
Here’s the How To:
Alaisa fa'apopo - Samoan coconut rice
Lils
Luscious coconut cream pounded into hot steamy, salted rice... Alaisa fa'apopo is a beautiful Cup Tea treat to go with a strong hot cup of Koko Samoa.
Chuck the rice into a pot, rinse well, then add 6 cups of water and the salt.
Place the pot on a burner and bring to boil, stirring every minute or so.
Cover the pot and turn the hob right down to low. Let sit for 10 minutes, or until the rice is well cooked. It should be slightly wetter than you'd expect for normal rice.
Mash and pour
While the rice is still hot (leave the burner on low), add some coconut cream and start mashing.
Add a bit more coconut cream and keep mashing. Taste the rice and add more salt if necessary (to taste).
Continue pouring and mashing until you've used up both cans of coconut cream.
Taste the rice again. Is it good? Is it mashed up and sticky but not too wet? Do you like the amount of salt in it? Can you taste the yummy coconut cream flavour?
Tweak stuff until you can say yes to all of the above, then turn off the stove because it's done.
Alaisa fa’apopo is great in any weather but it’s even more gratifying in New Zealand, when it’s cold. Or when it’s late at night and you want a heartier snack than chippies.
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