A man on his outrigger canoe, the va’a, drifting across the lagoon at dusk on Tikehau. The jagged mountains of the Marquesas Islands on Nuku Hiva, where Jacques Brel and Paul Gauguin chose to spend the final years of their lives, far from the noise of Europe. French Polynesia is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places on earth — a string of islands scattered across the South Pacific, each with its own character, its own colours and its own flavours.
Po’e au Papaye – Tahitian Dessert
Po’e is a traditional dessert from French Polynesia, particularly beloved in Tahiti. Its history stretches back to the arrival of the first European explorers in the archipelago, who introduced new plants — including sweet potatoes and bananas — that were quickly incorporated into local cooking.
Po’e (or poé) is a sweet flan or pudding made with coconut milk and fresh fruit — banana, papaya or mango. The fruits are cooked and puréed, then mixed with cassava flour and coconut milk to form a thick paste, which is traditionally steamed in banana leaves. It can also be made with vegetables (pumpkin, taro, sweet potato) and served as a savoury side dish alongside meat.
In French Polynesia, po’e is often cooked in underground ovens called ahima’a for a slow, deeply flavoured result. The word po’e means “to mix” in Tahitian. In other Polynesian languages it’s called poke.
Varieties of po’e
- Po’e ‘ī’ītā — papaya
- Po’e mei’a — banana
- Po’e hi’o — coconut milk
- Po’e ‘ape — taro
- Po’e mautini — pumpkin
Po’e is traditionally served at celebrations, weddings and religious festivals. It can also be given to babies from the start of weaning — simply omit the sugar.
Papaya Po’e — Ingredients (serves 6)
- 1 ripe papaya (about 600 g flesh)
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 150 g cassava flour (or tapioca starch — available in Asian grocery stores)
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Peel and deseed the papaya, then blend or mash to a smooth purée.
- Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and stir into the coconut milk.
- Combine the papaya purée, coconut milk, cassava flour, sugar and salt. Mix until you have a smooth, thick batter.
- Pour into a greased baking dish (or wrap in banana leaves if you can find them).
- Bake for 40–50 minutes until set, firm and lightly golden on top.
- Allow to cool before cutting into squares or slices.
- Serve at room temperature or cold, drizzled with a little extra coconut milk.
Manuia! 🌺🇵🇫
Traditional Tahitian Salad – Raw Tuna with Carrots, Cucumbers and Coconut Milk
This delicious Tahitian tuna salad recipe was given to me by an elderly Tahitian man — so I can vouch that it’s absolutely traditional and authentic! This refreshing raw fish salad is perfect for summer and always a crowd-pleaser. I had my best-ever version at a little waterfront snack bar on the island of Fakarava. When I asked the owner what made his so much better than mine, he smiled and replied in his beautiful Polynesian accent, rolling his r’s: “The secret is the salt! You must start by marinating the tuna in salt and sunflower oil.” Follow that advice and you won’t go wrong!
Which fish to use?
The trickiest part is finding very fresh fish! Yellowfin tuna, red tuna or mahi-mahi all work beautifully. Always buy from a trusted fishmonger and use the freshest fish available.
Can pregnant women eat this?
Raw fish is not recommended during pregnancy. If needed, lightly cook the diced tuna before assembling the salad.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 400 g very fresh tuna (yellowfin or red), diced into 2 cm cubes
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- Coarse salt
- 2 carrots, julienned or grated
- 2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 4 tomatoes, diced
- 400 ml coconut milk
- Juice of 2 limes
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Begin by marinating the tuna: place the diced fish in a bowl with 2 tbsp sunflower oil and a generous pinch of coarse salt. Mix gently and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables: julienne or grate the carrots, slice the cucumbers, and dice the tomatoes.
- Remove the tuna from the fridge. Rinse briefly under cold water and pat dry to remove excess salt.
- In a large bowl, combine the tuna, carrots, cucumber and tomatoes.
- Pour over the coconut milk and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Toss gently.
- Serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Manuia! 🌺🇵🇫 (Bon appétit in Tahitian!)