What to eat in Easter Island? The local gastronomy in Easter Island
Easter Island is one of the most remote areas in earth, and of course a place with typical dishes to taste. The typical food of Easter Island is based mainly on marine products, such as fish, among mahi mahi, the sierra or kana kana stand out, and seafood such as lobster, shrimp and the rape rape, a smaller type of lobster native to the island.
Umu Rapa Nui
One of the most traditional preparations in Easter Island, similar to the Curanto you can taste in Patagonia, is the Umu Rapa Nui, also called Rapa Nui Curanto. The food is cooked in a hole in the ground with firewood and red-hot stones, in the same way it was done hundreds of years ago.
The hot stones are covered with banana leaves on which meat, chicken and fish are placed and covered again with leaves and stones. A second layer is placed on top with tubers such as sweet potato, taro and cassava and covered again with banana leaves and earth. The heat cooks the food in a slow and long process that turns the curanto into a communal meal that invites to share.
Kahi
The Kahi is the Rapa Nui Tuna, and it`s the king of the local dishes. The tuna is still the main ingredient in several recipes that, although not so old, are already considered classic.
Tuna Ceviche
Rapanui ceviche is probably the most representative typical dish of the modern gastronomy in Easter Island. It`s fresh tuna ceviche that is presented raw and cut into small pieces. The dressing can be very varied, and lemon and ají chile can be used in the classic Peruvian style, soy sauce for an oriental touch or coconut milk to get a more Polynesian dish. They are all delicious and are usually accompanied by rice and sweet potatoes. Delicious!
Tuna Empanada
Tuna empanadas from Easter Island is a classic in the area. It`s a large fried empanada stuffed with sautéed fresh island tuna. But there are many options depending on the ingredients chosen for the filling. Possibly the most common is tuna with cheese, followed by tuna, cheese and tomato or shrimp.
Rapa Nui Poe
This is the typical dessert of Easter Island. It is a kind of pudding or soft cake made from banana, pumpkin or cassava, flour, milk and sugar. The po’e is very sweet and quite juicy and fluffy.
