Firi firi (Tahitian coconut doughnuts)
Firi firi is a yeast-raised coconut doughnut piped into long pieces and deep-fried at 170°C, traditionally eaten for breakfast or dessert in Tahiti.
Ma (Marquesan fermented breadfruit)
Ma · Mā · Popoi ma
Marquesan ma is fermented breadfruit paste stored in pits and prepared as popoi. The source describes the process and dishes but gives no validated household method.
Ma and popoi
Ma is the fermented breadfruit of the Marquesas. Pollock distinguishes prepared popoi ma from popoi mei, which combines fermented and fresh breadfruit.
The product is distinct from the Samoan, Society Islands and Pohnpeian records in the atlas.
Sources for this section
Process as recorded
Pollock reports that mature unripe fruit was softened by wood pegs for two days, then partially fermented in layers in a pit. The account also includes induced ripening.
The source does not identify the organisms or a starter. Its eating preparation includes washing, kneading, wrapping, cooking and pounding.
Sources for this section
Use and limits
Pollock reports daily use and shortage context. The ratios of fermented to fresh breadfruit are given for taste preferences rather than as a standard.
No quantities, endpoint, monitoring, shelf life or validated household procedure are established. A practical method needs process and food-safety review.
Sources for this section
History
Pollock reports daily use of ma in the Marquesas and states that origins in place and time are not clearly established.
Ingredients
BreadfruitMature unripe fruit, softened and stored in a pit in layers.
Amount not stated
No quantities recorded; the cited account gives different ratios for taste preferences.Fresh breadfruitMixed with ma for the popoi mei form.
Ratio not established.
Method
Risks and precautions · High risk
Unvalidated pit fermentation of breadfruit
The source gives no monitoring, failure criteria or validated storage controls.
Hazard sourceHistoric reports of ageing and preferred sourness are not safety or shelf-life evidence.
A practical method needs process and food-safety review.
- Pollock reports that mature unripe fruit was softened for two days and then partially fermented in a pit with layered filling.
- The preparation for eating includes washing, kneading, wrapping, cooking and pounding.
- No quantities, endpoint, monitoring or storage period are given. This is a historical account, not an executable recipe.
Places
Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia
Documented preparation · Region evidencePollock identifies the Marquesan product and its dishes. He states that origins in place and time are not clearly established.
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Sources
Journal de la Société des Océanistes 40(79), pp. 151–164; PerséeIdentity · Uses · Method · History
Breadfruit Fermentation Practices in OceaniaCited in: Ma and popoi; Process as recorded; Use and limits