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! 🌺🇵🇫