Puleleti

Puleleti is a traditional confection found in the low-lying Polynesian atoll islands of Tuvalu and Tokelau, made from desiccated coconut mixed with coconut syrup and rolled into balls.

To prepare Puleleti, several mature coconuts were gathered and the nut is cut open and the flesh scrapped with a grater. The shavings were layered out in the sun and was left to dry for several hours. After drying, the flesh was pounded, with coconut syrup being added to the mixture until oil leaked out. The paste was formed into balls, being squeezed to extract any oil from them and were left to dry. Preparing the Puleleti was a laborious task, and so they were something that was only made on occasion. The confection has good preservative properties, and were wrapped in pandanus leaves and stored in baskets hanging from roof beams, keeping for up to a year.

Puleleti can also be made from caramelised sugar as a substitute, especially when coconut syrup is unavailable.