The change in consumption patterns has deeply modified the Polynesians' eating habits.
Adopting new (and bad) feeding patterns, The "Hamburger & Coke" generation has little knowledge of the products of a Polynesian vegetable patch. However, within school restaurants, pensions and hotels, the Fenua's (Country's) fruits and vegetables are recovering the interest they deserve. The nutritional and dietary qualities of most of these products are today unanimousy recognized.

Tahitiguide proposes to better introduce you to the thousand and one secrets of these tropical fruits and vegetables, in the coming months.

 

 

 BANANAS:

There is a wide variety of bananas in Polynesia, quite different from one another in their aspect and use. The Polynesians' favorites are the "Rio" and the "Hamoa", sweet varieties to be eaten raw. When they are fully ripe, they have nothing to envy from African bananas. Other bananas such as the "Fei" are starch food to be cooked before eating them, just like Taro or Uru. They are eaten as vegetables to accompany fish or meat. Polynesians also use them to prepare a dessert named "Poe" (recipe below). Indispensable to life in the islands, they stimulate the organism with their abundance if vitamins C, D and E, but mostly in minerals (calcium, iron and potassium).

 

 Recipe for BANANA POE (a dessert):

 8 cooking bananas (" Fei ") variety,

 1 large banana leaf (if none available, use waxed paper),

 250 gr of manioc starch,

 5 cl of oil,

 60 g of raw sugar,

 1 vanila bean,

 25 cl of coconut milk (it can also be found in cans, not quite as good, but it will do!) 

 

1- Cook the bananas inside their skin in a pot full of water for 15 mn.

2 - Meanwhile, prepare the banana leaf by quickly heating it up in an oven. Spread butter or margarine over it.

3 - Drip dry and peel the bananas. Turn them into a rough puree with a fork. Add starch and raw sugar to the puree while mixing. Add vanilla.

4 - Disposez la préparation obtenue au milieu de la feuille de bananier (ou dans le papier sulfurisé). Repliez le tout hermétiquement et disposez votre «poe» dans un plat à four.

5 - Cook for 45 mn at 160-170°C (320-340F), no more. If the banana leaf releases a burning smell, do not worry, this is normal!

6 - Take the poe out of the oven. Remove the banana leaf and place the preparation in a dish. Add coconut milk. Mix and wait until storing in a cool place.

8 - Before serving, add the remaining coconut milk on top and a zest of lime. Bon appétit!