Polynesian Chestnut Pudding

One of the most magnificent trees in Tahiti is the mape (pronounced “marpay” ) or Polynesian chestnut, which grows near the rivers in the wilder valleys. Its gray trunk is deeply grooved and solidly planted into the earth in a wide tangle of convoluted, knife-edged roots which curve and coil into the soil. Its green drupes contain large fleshy seeds with a flavor reminiscent of Western chestnuts. The Tahitians use the cooked drupes in a variety of dishes, such as this po’e or