The
gastronomy of Rapa Nui is based on shellfish such as fish, lobster,
tuna, cod fish, "nahue", Sword fish and other kind of
seafood of the Pacific ocean
The delicious and appetizing island tributes are prepared with
wonderful combinations of seafood, such as lobster, rape rape
(similar but smaller), tuna, sawfish, sea urchins, koreha (eel)
and heke (octopus).
Among the main dishes are included
umu ta'o or curanto, a preparation of fish, shellfish and vegetables
that is wrapped in banana leaves before being slowly cooked in
the Umu Táo, a hole in the ground covered with pre-heated
volcanic rocks. It is served with a side helping of sweet potato
(camotes) and po'e, a flour, banana and pumpkin pudding.
Another usual ingredient in islander diet is fruits: 17 varieties
of banana (plantain), papaya, pineapple, guava.
