Poi (Fermented Taro) is a traditional Marquesas Islands recipe for a dish of fish pickled in citrus juice that's blended with onion, chillies, tomatoes and spring onion and served in a thick coconut milk base. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Marquesas Islands version of: Fermented Taro (Poi).
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Poi (or popoi) is an important dish across the pacific ocean peoples and is made by fermenting cooked taro roots. Eat it is a starchy, slightly sour side dish. Great with something salty. Traditional poi is produced by mashing cooked taro on a wooden pounding board (papa kuʻi ʻai), with a carved pestle (pōhaku kuʻi ʻai) made from basalt, calcite, coral, or wood. Poi is thought to have originated in the Marquesas Islands, created some time after initial settlement from Polynesian explorers. The origins of poi coincided with the development of basalt pounders in the Marquesas, which soon spread elsewhere in eastern Polynesia, with the exception of New Zealand and Easter Island. Breadfruit can also be made into poi (i.e. poi ʻulu). It's the national dish of the Solomon Islands.
Ingredients:
600g Taro corms
Method:
Scrub the taro, being careful as it contains an irritant compound that's destroyed by boiling but don't peel yet.
Cut the taro into chunks, place in a saucepan then cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until soft and tender (about 30-40 minutes depending on chunk size). Drain the taro then refresh in cold water until cool enough to handle then peel with a knife.
Mash the taro in a bowl, adding the water, a little at a time, to control texture. The poi should be a bit mushy, like a runny potato mash.
The poi is now ready to eat but it's often fermented to turn it a bit sour and prolong shelf life.
To ferment the poi and create the sour, tangy flavour, place poi in a glass jar or bowl. Cover with a thin layer of water to prevent dehydration.
Cover the jar/bowl with a clean kitchen towel and leave in darkness at room temperature for 12-48 h.
After 12-24 h, small bubbles should be forming and the poi should start smelling faintly sour, similar to sourdough or yoghurt.
Fermentation time depends on how many microorganisms made it into the pounded poi and the temperature in your fermentation station.
Taste and see if you want it more sour and tangy. If so, leave it at room temperature for another day or two.
Once the poi has attained the desired flavour, you can eat it or keep it in the fridge.
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