Let’s Make Banana Po’e!

Banana po’e! Image from polynesiankitchen.blogspot.com

Po’e is one of my host mother’s favorite dishes. Though I don’t eat it nearly as often as poisson cru, my host mom usually has it once or twice a week, baked into a pai (pie) by the lady who comes by around noon, Mami Pai. No one can remember her real name because she’s come to the office for years now selling her pies, and everyone just calls her, “Mami Pai.” I haven’t been able to find a recipe where the banana is purple like it is when my host mom eats it, but I think the ripeness of the banana, the kind of sugar, and the kind of vanilla used is what makes the difference.

What you’ll need:

6-8 Ripe bananas, peeled and cut into chunks. (There should be enough bananas to yield 4 cups of banana purée.)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup cornstarch, sifted, OR 1 cup arrowroot
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup coconut cream OR 1 cup full fat coconut milk (usually you can scoop the cream out of a can of milk if the can hasn’t been shaken)
Pam or butter to grease the baking dish
baking dish (2 quart dish is perfect)

Other recipes sometimes call for Tahitian vanilla bean seeds, coconut oil (for pan greasing), plantains in lieu of bananas, or other tropical fruit. If you decide to use another tropical fruit, like a mango or papaya, be aware that these fruits are more juicy and that you’ll have to add more cornstarch or arrowroot.

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 375
Place the banana in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. You should have four cups of banana puree.
Mix together the brown sugar and arrowroot or cornstarch. Add this mixture and the vanilla to the bananas and process well, eliminating any lumps.
Pour mixture into the greased baking dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until firm/set.
Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Cover with a plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours, or until thoroughly chilled.
Cut into cubes and place in a bowl.
Top with some coconut cream or milk and enjoy!

For other recipes and fun information on po’e check out these links:

http://www.girlcooksworld.com/2012/03/banana-poe.html

http://www.whats4eats.com/desserts/poe-recipe

http://polynesiankitchen.blogspot.com/2010/10/poe.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Myfz_IP5qM <— Video on how to make po’e

http://www.islands.com/articles/tahiti-searching-poe <– story of the author searching for po’e