Māori have been cooking with ingredients from New Zealand's native forests for more than a thousand years.
Māori brought edible plants from Hawaiki, including kūmara, yam and taro. New Zealand kūmara is particularly sweet and grows in the semi-tropical regions of the North Island. It is available in red, gold or orange varieties.
Along with root vegetables, they also introduced Kiore (the Polynesian rat) and Kurī (the Polynesian dog), both valuable sources of meat.
Māori hunted a wide range of birds (such as mutton birds and moa), collected seafood and gathered native ferns, vines, palms, fungi, berries, fruit and seeds.
When Pākehā (European) settlers arrived in New Zealand. These crops included wheat, potatoes, maize, carrots, cabbage and other vegetables. Māori also began raising sheep, pigs, goats and poultry.
Potatoes were easier to grow than kūmara, and pigs could be fattened quickly, so pork, pūhā and potatoes became a new staple meal - called ‘boil-up’.
Cold-pressed harakeke oil (common flaxseed oil) is an unrefined oil, where nothing is added or removed. It is a great source of Omega 3 and six essential fatty acids, Omega 9 antioxidants and vitamins.
Mānuka was named 'tea tree' by Captain James Cook and English botanist Joseph Banks when they found it in Mercury Bay in 1769. Mānuka wood chips can be used to add flavour when smoking food, but it is best known as the source of mānuka honey, which is used to produce a growing list of products with outstanding medicinal and antiseptic properties.
Most of the wild fern varieties that grow in damp shady areas of New Zealand’s native bush are carcinogenic - of 312 different varieties, only seven varieties are edible. The edible fern fronds, known as bush asparagus, are pale green with brown speckles. Picked before the leaves unfold, the fronds add a unique 'forest' flavour to dishes.
Pūhā, also known as sow thistle, is a green-dark green plant often found growing as a weed. The stem contains a milky coloured sap. Eaten raw, the stem and leaves have a bitter taste. Cooking does not remove the bitterness but it can be reduced by rubbing the pūhā plants together (vigorously) under running water. Pūhā is traditionally served cooked with pork and harvested from spring to midsummer, as the plant tends to be more bitter when harvested in autumn.
Kawakawa (Pepper Tree) is a versatile herb traditionally used in Māori medicine to treat ailments such as stomach pain and rheumatism. Nowadays, it is commonly consumed as a tea or ground into a powder for seasoning. The optimal time to harvest kawakawa is from May to the end of September.
Kōwhitiwhiti or watercress grows on the edge of freshwater rivers and creeks around New Zealand. Eaten raw or cooked, it has a mild mustard flavour.
Pāua is recognisable for its beautiful blue/green, iridescent shell and thin, black surface covering its creamy-white flesh in its natural state. Pāua is considered tāonga (treasure), a gift from the god of the sea. It is highly valued for its firm meaty flesh and savoury, sea flavour. Its shell is used for jewellery and incorporated in traditional Māori carvings, usually to represent the eyes.
Bluff Oysters are a prized delicacy in New Zealand and many of the fishers who catch them have lived on the sea for generations. The season to try these tasty morsels is from March until August.
Kōura (crayfish) are similar to lobster, but they are clawless and have one less pair of legs. Preferring rocky areas and deep sea beds, crayfish are found in coastal areas of New Zealand, and are especially abundant in Kaikōura in late winter and spring, between June and November. Creamy and rich, crayfish are a delicacy and often feature on the dinner table during the Christmas break or other special events.
New Zealand Greenshell™ mussels are the ultimate health food. They are a good source of protein and are low in fat and calories. As well as being particularly flavoursome, they are also a very good source of omega-3.
Hāngī, is a feast cooked in an earth oven for several hours. The kai can include chicken, lamb, pork, kai moana (seafood) and vegetables (particularly kūmara or sweet potato) and is placed on top of the stones then topped with dirt to trap the heat.
Rēwena paraoa (potato bread) tastes sweet and has a slight sour/tang flavour to it, a result of the long period of fermentation it undergoes. The bread is wonderfully textured and flavoursome.
Tipa, or scallops, are a type of shellfish known for their delicate, sweet flavour and tender texture. They are often enjoyed seared, grilled, or added to seafood dishes. Major declines in scallop abundance are being recorded across the country, so it is best to avoid scallops if you can.
Inanga, commonly known as whitebait, are small, juvenile fish that are a delicacy in Aotearoa New Zealand. They are typically caught during their upstream migration in spring and are often enjoyed in fritters. For a sustainable option, try the Manāki(opens in new window) brand, the world’s first producer of farmed whitebait.
Tarakihi is a popular fish in New Zealand, known for its mild flavour and firm, white flesh. It is often used in fish and chips or grilled dishes. Best enjoyed in moderation.
Kina, or sea urchin, is prized for its rich, creamy roe. It is a delicacy in many cuisines, particularly in sushi. Sustainable sourcing of kina involves managing their populations to prevent overharvesting and supporting habitat restoration efforts. For sustainably caught kina, look for the Chatham Island Food Co(opens in new window) brand, a small, locally owned business located on the remote Chatham Islands.
The origin of the name refers to the mutton-like taste of the flesh, and possibly the woolly appearance of its young. The bird is the size of a very small duck. Due to a very short season (1st April until 31st May) these birds are very expensive to purchase and are only available for a short period of time.
Also known colloquially as “Māori porridge”, Kānga Pīrau is decidedly an acquired taste. Kānga Pīrau is prepared by putting corn cobs into sacks which are left in a clean running stream for up to six weeks until they have fermented. The corn kernels are then stripped from the cob, mashed and then cooked just like porridge and served either hot or cold.
Huhu grubs were part of a traditional Māori diet. A good fossick in fallen logs may reveal a wriggling colony. When eaten raw huhu grubs have the taste and consistency of peanut butter.
