The "ahima'a", from "ahi" (fire) and "ma'a" (food), illustrates the way food was grilled, braised or steamed in an oven dug in the earth.
Used everyday in the old times, the "Ahima'a" is nowadays mostly prepared on Sunday morning, particularly for a special occasion or to celebrate the arrival of personalities. Essential part of the Polynesian folklore and festivities, many hotels organize "ahima'a" for the tourists.
First, the oven is usually pre-heated with a wood fire (the wood generally used is the "aito"), then the wood is placed in many levels, crossed perpendicularly, one piece on top of the other. Once well lit, porous volcanic rocks are disposed on top of the wood fire to completely cover the wood.
Once the wood is consumed, the surface of hot rocks is flattened in order to place the food to be cooked ( chicken "fafa", oini -woven baskets in coconut leaves- of fish, small suckling pigs, banana or papaya or stale bread "po'e" and many vegetables like "taro", "tarua", "fe'i", igname, "uru", "popoi" also placed in "oini").
Banana leaves are then placed on top of the food, then many layers of leaves from the purao tree ("apiu") to cover the ahima'a entirely.
Finally a layer of dirt is shoveled on top of the oven to prevent heat evacuation.
The lenghth of cooking depends on the volume of the oven and the type of food put inside, but generally, 3 to 4 hours of cooking are necessary before removing the food from the oven.
The final food preparation (when necessary) is done and is presented in the traditional wood dishes ("umete").
A wonderful culinary experience!
Photo courtesy of Tahiti Tourism. Photos are not for commercial use and cannot be reproduced for resale.
VEGETABLES FROM THE FENUA (LAND)
BANANAS
From the musacees family, there exists many varieties all different one from another by their flavor and look. The table banana, of the "musa sapientum" origin or nana "rio" or "hamoa" are sweeter in nature which are edible once they have reached maturity. Cooking banana of the musa paradisiaca family "maohi" and the "fei" ar etypes which must be cooked prior to eating them. Bananas are reputed for their energy value and are rich in vitamim C as well as in minerals calcium, iron...
* Cooking: to conserve the nutritive values in bananas, it is recommended to cook them in their skin. To keep them from darkening, it is also recommended to pour lime juice over them.
BREADFRUIT - URU -
From the moracees family and of the artocarpus altilis type, there are actually 50 different varieties of uru of which the "Puero" is the most utilized , "Paea", "Huero", "Maohi" and "Afaraa". They are eaten cooked, fresh or fermented like the Marquisas popoi. They are rich in vitamin C and are great for energy.
* Cooking: you must choose a uru which has the appearance of being milky with a white surface. Before preparation, it is best to let it rest for a few hours, if not a whole night.
ROOT - UFI -
From the dioscoreacees family, there exist approximately 60 types throughout Polynesia of which some are utilized like the: "Menemene", "Tahotaho", "Ofia" et "Matoha". Ufi has great energetic value but has very little quantities of vitamin B and C.
* Cooking: This is a root which is tender and easy to prepare and has a neutral taste. However, some ufi are toxic when raw and are only eadible when cooked.
TARO - DE TARUA -/ FAFA LEAVES
From the aracees family of the colocasia type, there exists currently more than ten varieties of taro of which the "Apo" or "Veo", "Manaura", "Veoihii", "Veo rarotoa" which are the most common. From the same family of the Alocasia et Xanthosoma types, the tarua is eaten like the taro. They have great energetic value, rich in iron and calcium.
The Fafa is a variety of taro, called spinach in Polynesian which only the young leaves are eaten.
* Cooking: The oxolate calcium crystals are present in the fafa are can be irritating, a lenghty cooking in lots of salty water lightly sprinkled with sugar is recommended.
SWEET POTATO - UMARA
From the convolvulacees family of the pomea batatas type, there exists approximately one hundred different types of which "Au maire vareau", "Re'a moa" and "Toru ava'e papara" are regularly served. They are rich in vitamin A.
* Cooking: The sweet potato has a mauve skin and is cooked liked a regular potato. The interior is yellow in color and becomes sweet after a lengthy cooking. It is therefore recommended to cook it without pealing its skin in order to best retain the nutritional elements.
