Chef Makoa
Popoi Mā (Marquesan Fermented Breadfruit Paste)
Marquesan popoi starts as mā, breadfruit kept sour in the old pit tradition, then pounded smooth with coconut cream until it sits soft, tangy, and ready for the whole table.
Culinary Explorer
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Takihi (Niuean Taro and Pawpaw Bake)
Created by
Niue's takihi layers the elder taro with ripe pawpaw and coconut cream, then bakes it slow until the starch softens, the fruit melts, and the whole pan turns glossy and gentle.
Side Dishes
Polynesian
Comfort Food
Special Occasion
Make Ahead
25 min
Active Time
1 hr 30 min cook•1 hr 55 min total
Yield8 servings
The canoe carried the root first, and every island learned to answer it with what that land could give. On Niue, that raised coral island between the western cousins and the Cooks, the answer is takihi: taro layered with ripe pawpaw, coconut cream poured over, then baked until sweet and savory sit in the same mouthful.
This is Niuean food, not a plain "Polynesian" plate. Same elder brother under the hand, but a different bowl from Hawaiian poi, Sāmoan palusami, Tongan lū, Cook Islands rukau, or Tahitian fāfā. Niue's hand here is quiet and smart: slice the taro thin so it cooks all the way through, let the pawpaw soften into the coconut, and give the bake enough time that no hard white heart stays in the root.
I cook this open-handed, because Niue's deep telling belongs first to tagata Niue, the Niuean people, and their old people should speak the ceremony. In a home oven, no shame. Eat what you have. The leaf, the coconut, the patience, those still carry the meaning.
Takihi belongs to Niue, a Polynesian raised coral island where taro, coconut, and pawpaw became a layered bake commonly served for family meals, church gatherings, and special occasions. Taro is one of the canoe crops carried through the voyaging migrations, while pawpaw arrived later and was folded into island cooking without shame, the way living foodways keep moving. The dish sits beside the wider Polynesian taro family, but it is Niue's own hand, not the Cook Islands, not Hawaiʻi, and not a nameless ocean plate.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
taro
Quantity
2 pounds
peeled and sliced 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick
ripe but firm pawpaws (papayas)
Quantity
2
peeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
thick coconut cream
Quantity
2 cups
fresh-squeezed if possible
sea salt
Quantity
1 teaspoon
raw sugar or brown sugar (optional)
Quantity
1 tablespoon
only if the pawpaw is not very sweet
banana leaves or parchment
Quantity
enough to line the dish
neutral oil or coconut oil
Quantity
1 tablespoon
for the dish
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| taropeeled and sliced 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick | 2 pounds |
| ripe but firm pawpaws (papayas)peeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4 inch thick | 2 |
| thick coconut creamfresh-squeezed if possible | 2 cups |
| sea salt | 1 teaspoon |
| raw sugar or brown sugar (optional)only if the pawpaw is not very sweet | 1 tablespoon |
| banana leaves or parchment | enough to line the dish |
| neutral oil or coconut oilfor the dish | 1 tablespoon |
Equipment Needed
- •9 by 13 inch baking dish
- •Mandoline or very sharp slicing knife
- •Foil and parchment, or banana leaves if available
Instructions
- 1
Ready the pan
Heat the oven to 350F. Oil a 9 by 13 inch baking dish, then line it with banana leaf if you have it, or parchment if you don't. The leaf gives a soft green smell and helps the edges stay gentle.
- 2
Slice the taro
Peel the taro and slice it thin, no thicker than a quarter inch. Taro has to cook fully, all the way soft, or it can bite the throat and sit heavy. No blame the taro. If the slice is too thick, that's on our knife.
- 3
Layer the bake
Lay down a shingled layer of taro, then a layer of pawpaw, then keep going until the dish is full, finishing with pawpaw on top where you can. Stir the salt into the coconut cream, add the sugar only if the fruit needs help, and pour it slowly over the layers so it slips down into the corners.
- 4
Cover and bake
Cover the dish tight with banana leaf and foil, or parchment and foil, and bake for 60 minutes. The cover matters. It gives the taro time to soften before the top dries out.
- 5
Finish uncovered
Uncover and bake 20 to 30 minutes more, until a knife slides through the taro with no hard center, the pawpaw has slumped soft, and the coconut cream is glossy around the edges. Let it rest 15 minutes so the layers settle before you cut.
- 6
Serve family-style
Spoon or cut the takihi into generous pieces and serve it warm or room temperature. It belongs beside roasted meat, fish, greens, or a simple plate of rice. Deep food is not precious. It feeds the table.
Chef Tips
- •Use taro that feels heavy for its size, with firm flesh and no sour smell. If you see soft spots, cut them away, but don't throw out a good root for looking rough.
- •The pawpaw should be ripe but still sliceable. Too green and it stays sharp, too soft and it disappears before the taro is done.
- •Fresh coconut cream is best here because Niue's western cousins know what that cream carries. A thick canned coconut cream works for a weeknight, just stir it smooth before pouring.
- •If your taro slices are thicker, lower the oven to 325F and give it more time covered. The goal is tenderness, not speed.
Advance Preparation
- •Takihi can be baked a day ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Reheat covered at 325F until warmed through and glossy again.
- •Slice the pawpaw the day you bake it. Peel and slice taro close to cooking time, or keep the slices submerged in cold water and drain well before layering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 225g)
Calories
380 calories
Total Fat
23 g
Saturated Fat
20 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
3 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
310 mg
Total Carbohydrates
44 g
Dietary Fiber
7 g
Sugars
10 g
Protein
4 g
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