Māori Flavors of New Zealand
Cover Photo Tuatuas from Pure-and-Wild
Forget the fish and chips. Food that tells a story is what drives current food trends in Aotearoa, “the land of the long white cloud.”
While modern New Zealand has strong ties to British cuisine, its the ancient and indigenous peoples cuisine that is pushing to the forefront.
The Māori people of Aotearoa were traditionally hunters, gatherers and crop farmers, who harvested food from the forests, streams, and ocean. We often hear stories from our own countries on how the first people so loved their rugged and fertile lands. There was a strong connection to the earth and to honoring the powers that give life and sustainence. From the soil came food, and for the Māori people, that same food was then cooked beneath the earth. They then prepared their food in the traditional method of the hāngī, in underground pit ovens similar to the Samoan umu. In thermal areas, particularly around Rotorua on the north island, they would also use the natural pools of boiling water and steam.
It was outside of Rotorua at Mitai Māori Village that we participated in a traditional hangi. Pork or pūhā, wild birds and fish, vegetables, and their native potato, kumara, were all placed in a hole dug underground and using heated rocks. The food is placed in baskets on hot stones at the bottom of the hole and then covered with wet cloth and a mound of earth that traps the heat from the stones around the food. The Hāngī food is left in the ground for about three to four hours, depending on the quantity being cooked.
The result of this long cooking process is tender, off-the-bone meat and delicious vegetables, all infused with a smoky, earthy fragrance. Experiencing a Māori hāngī is not only a means of cooking food, but is also a social occasion.
Indigenous Foods & Flavors of New Zealand
Chinook- aka King salmon, the largest salmon species of NZ, are mainly found on the east coast of the South Island from the Waiau River in the north to the Clutha River in the south. It is the only salmon species farmed in New Zealand in the cool, deep waters of the Marlborough Sounds. It is considered the best in terms of taste, texture, and nutritional quality.
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Hāpuka- or NZ grouper, a firm white flesh with delicate flavor and succulence – Pure and Wild recommends you allow it to be the star of your dish, rather than mask it’s delicate flavors with any accompanying sauce. Hāpuka’s firm dense flesh makes it ideal for the bbq, and yet this fish still remains moist when cooked. It holds up well to smoking too.
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Hoki-a white fish caught in the pure waters of the South Pacific and Tasman Sea. Hoki fillet has a firm succulence with a delicate flavor, low oil content and few bones. It is ideal for delicate fish recipes like Herb & walnut crusted Hoki from healthyfood.com.
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Horopito- aka “peppertree” has small leaves that pack a powerful peppery punch similar to cayenne. It is used in numerous dishes from spicy salad dressings to chutneys and pestos.
Kahawai- NZ sea trout, similar to salmon, that is typically smoked in its preparation. The flesh is oily and has a distinctly strong flavor.
Kawakawa- the plant’s leaves have antimicrobial and analgesic properties, making it useful for treating infections, helpful in reducing inflammation of various skin conditions, and is still used as a digestive aide. The Kawakawa leaf has a minty-fresh peppery taste and is steeped with manuka honey and passionfruit to make a delicious afternoon tea and/or medicinally when needed. The orange fruits produced from the female trees are sweet and the seeds are peppery.
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Kowhitiwhiti- or NZ watercress, has a mild mustard flavor, often used as an alternative to puha. Try MindFood’s recipe for Horopito Lamb Salad with Lentils and Kawakawa Pesto that combines flavors from the horopito leaf, the kawakawa leaf and the kowhitiwhiti leaf.
Kumara- sweet potato originating from the Pacific islands and brought to NZ over 1,000 years ago. grows in the semi-tropical regions of the North Island. It is available in red, gold or orange varieties. My favorite is the reddish-purple kumara~
Kūtai- or Greenlipped mussels, are unique to New Zealand’s pristine waters. Pure-and-Wild describes these plump native shellfish as combining a visually stunning iridescent green shell with a sweet, tender taste and a higher meat-to-shell ratio than any other mussel.
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Manuka honey- made from the New Zealand “tea tree” as named by Captain James Cook and English botanist Joseph Banks. Manuka wood chips are also used to add flavor when smoking food. Manuka is a prolific bush-type tree that grows predominantly on the north island and only flowers 2- 6 weeks of the year. This allows for a very small time frame in harvesting the honey, which creates a rare, high-demand product that is only found in NZ. Manuka honey is known for being earthier, richer, and more viscous than many other honeys. I personally prefer to use manuka as a sweetener over any other sugar or honey. It has also long been used medicinally and many claim that it has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. It has traditionally been used for wound healing, soothing sore throats (which is my go to now), preventing tooth decay and improving digestive issues. I recommend a spoonful of manuka +tincture of propolis +top with bee pollen for an immune boost when you’re feeling under the weather. There is truly no other product like it!
Pikopiko- or edible fern fronds, known as bush asparagus, are pale green with brown speckles. They grow in the damp shady areas of the native bush and are picked before the leaves unfold, and the tips are used to add a unique “forest” flavor to dishes. *There are over 312 different varieties of wild fern that grow in NZ, but most are carcinogenic and only seven types are edible!
Pipi- are small delicious cockles that abundant and popular during the summer holidays. According to Te Ara, the pipi (cockles) and kuku (mussels) were at competition long ago at Golden Bay in Tarakohe of the South Island. The kuku had a disadvantage more easily becoming clogged with sand and were defeated by the pipi. This is why pipi still hold the sandy beaches, while the kuku were forced to retreat to Rakahore, the offshore rocks. Try the dish Pipi and mussel fritters with pickled cucumber by EatWell.
Puha- or sow thistle, are dark greens and a weed-like plant. The stem contains a milky colored sap and when eaten raw, the stem and leaves have a bitter taste. Young plants are more palatable and the plant generally grows from early spring to midsummer, becoming more bitter into the autumn. Apparently Captain Cook used this vegetable, boiled up to cure scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) affecting his crew. The Maori traditionally used this herb to treat stomach ailments, for women during childbirth to reduce the risk of hemorrhaging, and as a general tonic for digestive disorders.
Tarakihi- NZ sea bream, with a medium to firm white flesh. The fish has a complex, natural sea flavor with mineral undertones. The flesh has a very nice balance of sweetness and earthiness. The tarakihi lends to many culinary applications and has an excellent price point, making it a versatile and common fish to eat among locals.
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Tua tua- NZ’s large surf clam, harvested during low tide at 2-4 meters. The seafood purveyor and premium food market, Pure-and-Wild, of NZ describe the tua tua flavor as exhibiting a delicate, sweet aroma of fresh kelp and toasted nori. The flavor of the raw clam is lightly oceanic with clean citrus notes. Cooked, the clam has a range of savory characteristics, reminiscent of lightly smoked fish and Japanese soy. Click Here for a tutorial by NZ’s Chef Al Brown on cooking tuatuas.
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New Zealand cuisine, indigenous flavors, and native preparations of the Māori are fast becoming the next sought after food frontier. The country has a well-earned and growing reputation as a gourmet destination, that I can attest to. Chefs worldwide, including myself, are discovering the versatility and unique native flavors from “the land of the long white cloud.”
