Supo Esi
Serves: 10
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
1 serves per portion
Recipe courtesy of the Country Kitchens 2026 Country of Study Collection – Samoa
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pearl tapioca
- 2-3 ripe papayas or pawpaws, skin and seeds removed, chopped (1.5kg flesh)
- 4 cups water
- 400mL can coconut milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup coconut flakes, toasted (optional)
Method:
- MEASURE pearl tapioca into a small bowl and cover with water.
- PLACE chopped papaya into a large saucepan and cover with 4 cups of water.
- COVER with a lid and bring to the boil, then remove lid and boil for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- MASH the papaya in the saucepan to turn it into a pulp.
- ADD pearl tapioca to the papaya and stir. Stir continuously over the heat for 5-10 minutes until the mixture thickens and the tapioca is translucent.
- STIR in the sugar and coconut milk and simmer for a few more minutes, stirring continuously.
- SERVE hot or chilled, garnished with coconut flakes.
What's Great About It:
Supo Esi is the Samoan version of porridge, traditionally served warm for breakfast with coconut bread. When cooled it will thicken even further to a custard-like consistency, making a delicious snack or dessert. With its vibrant yellow colour, this dish provides a serve of fruit with each portion. Some papayas are naturally very sweet, so make sure to taste the supo esi before adding the sugar, as you may not need as much.
